Byron "Pat" Gallagher, Jr.


Attorney Pat Gallagher is founder of The Gallagher Law Firm overseeing its day-to-day operations, as well as the long term strategic planning of the firm.
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​He focuses his law practice on the needs of businesses and specializes in a wide variety of transactional matters, litigation and mediation.

​Mr. Gallagher has litigated cases throughout Michigan before the American Arbitration Association, State and Federal Courts, Michigan Court of Appeals, Michigan Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals.
  • Client  v. Attorney (Ingham County, Michigan Circuit Court) Expert opinion (testified by deposition) in 2009 on behalf of defendant attorney in legal malpractice litigation brought by limited liability company member claiming violations of MRPC 1.1 Competence, MRPC 1.4 Communication and MRPC 1.8 Conflict of Interest associated with the formation of the limited liability company. Case settled for nuisance value after deposition.

  • Bank v. Borrower (Ingham County, Michigan Circuit Court) Expert opinion on behalf of Bank (testified by affidavit) in 2010 regarding reasonable attorney fees owed to Bank by Borrower pursuant to contract provisions contained in documents associated with a $9,300,000 loan. The Court accepted Gallagher’s opinion that Bank was owed attorney fees in the reasonable amount of $247,121.50.

  • Estate of Deceased (Eaton County, Michigan Probate Court) - Expert Opinion testimony on behalf of personal representative of decedent’s estate at an evidentiary hearing in 2010 re the reasonableness of personal representative’s fiduciary fees and the reasonableness of attorney fees incurred by counsel retained by the personal representative.  The Court accepted Gallagher’s opinion as to the reasonableness of both (1) attorney fees in the amount of $20,965.63 and (2) personal representative’s fiduciary fees in the amount of $14,557.66. 

  • Plaintiff v. Township - (Ingham County, Michigan Circuit Court) - Expert opinion testimony on behalf of Township in 2013 at an evidentiary hearing re reasonableness attorney fee owed to Plaintiff pursuant to an MCR 2.403 case evaluation award.  Court accepted Gallagher’s opinion as to a reduction in hours and rates claimed by attorneys for Plaintiff. The Court reduced Plaintiff’s claimed attorney fee of $207,805 by $109,485 to $98,320.

  • Plaintiff v University (Mecosta County, Michigan Circuit Court) – Expert opinion testimony at evidentiary hearing in 2013 re the reasonableness of $254,251.81 in attorney fees claimed to be owed by a law firm pursuant to the Court’s order sanctioning the law firm (MCR 2.114) for filing a frivolous pleading in employment litigation. The Court found that Gallagher was an expert.

  • Husband v Wife (Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Lake County, Illinois - Waukegan) – Expert opinion (by Affidavit) in 2013 on behalf of Plaintiff husband supporting Motion for Reconsideration to Order Granting Defendant wife’s Motion for Attorney Fees and Costs in the amount of $583,401.
  • Attorney v Client (Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County Department, Law Division - Chicago) – Expert opinion at trial in 2013 on behalf of Client re reasonableness of $103,012.27 in attorney fees claimed by the Law Firm against Client in fee dispute litigation. The Court found that Gallagher was an expert.

  • Broadcasting Company v. Retailer (54A District Court) – Expert opinion at evidentiary hearing in 2014, on behalf of Defendant re reasonableness of attorney fees after Plaintiff failed to obtain an adjusted verdict that improved upon average of Offer of Judgment and Counter-Offer of Judgment pursuant to MCR 2.405.  The Court found that Gallagher was an expert.  The Court ordered Plaintiff to pay Defendant $8,200 in attorney fees.

  • Creditor Objecting to Attorney Fees for Bankruptcy Trustee (United States Bankruptcy Court District of Hawaii) – Expert opinion by declaration for hearing in 2014, on behalf of creditor objecting to the reasonableness of $136,884 in attorney fees associated with the First Interim Fee Application of General Counsel for Chapter 7 Trustee in Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

  • Estate of Deceased (Ingham County, Michigan Probate Court) - Expert Opinion testimony by affidavit in March 2016 on behalf of successor trustees of decedent’s estate re the reasonableness of fiduciary fees and of attorney fees totaling $63,345.23 incurred by an attorney serving as both trustee and attorney for decedent’s estate.  The matter was settled, with additional input from Gallagher, immediately before an evidentiary hearing was to begin, for $42,000 to be paid by the attorney to the successor trustees.
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  • Attorney v Client (Circuit Court of Will County - Joliet) – Expert opinion by Affidavit at Arbitration hearing in March 2016, on behalf of Client re reasonableness of $19,049.46 in attorney fees claimed by the Law Firm against Client in fee dispute litigation. The parties stipulated to the admission of Gallagher’s Affidavit in the Arbitration hearing.  The matter is pending.

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