Tim Patterson
Senior Counsel
Tim Patterson represents manufacturers and suppliers in complex product distribution litigation throughout the United States. Tim also regularly counsels Foley’s manufacturing clients about effectively managing their reseller networks to avoid costly and protracted litigation. Tim is a member of the firm’s Distribution & Franchise and Commercial Litigation Practices.
Tim also manages Foley’s “State Distribution & Franchise Law Map,” a tool Foley’s clients use to assess the legal risks that state-specific distribution and franchise laws present for their businesses. Tim is a regular speaker at Foley’s Annual Law of Product Distribution & Franchise Seminar.
Awards and Recognition
- Wisconsin Super Lawyers® Rising Star – Business Litigation (2023)
Presentations and Publications
- Author, “Making the Case: Remote Litigation Can Benefit Your Franchise in the Long-Term,” Global Franchise Magazine (August 2021)
- Speaker, “All Over the Map—Navigating Challenges Posed By State Law,” Foley & Lardner LLP Law of Product Distribution Franchise Seminars (2021)
- Speaker, “State(s) of Confusion: Defining the Relationship Under State Distribution Laws,” Foley & Lardner LLP Law of Product Distribution Franchise Seminars (2019)
- Speaker, “Termination: Building Your Best Case,” Foley & Lardner LLP Law of Product Distribution Franchise Seminars (2018)
- Speaker, “Reaping What You Sow: Protecting Your Future Yields with Non-Competes and Trade Secret Law,” Foley & Lardner LLP Law of Product Distribution Franchise Seminars (2017)
Foley Highlighted for Street Law Program, Impact on Milwaukee Youth
Foley & Lardner LLP partner Nick Welle and senior counsel Tim Patterson shared insights on Foley's annual Street Law Legal Diversity Pipeline Program in the BizTimes Milwaukee article, “‘They need somebody’: Nonprofits provide safety and support for Milwaukee’s youth.”
Tim Patterson Named a 2025 Philanthropic 5 United Way Emerging Leader
Foley & Lardner LLP senior counsel Tim Patterson was named a 2025 Philanthropic 5 Emerging Leader by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.
Disgorgement on the Table in Wisconsin for Tortious Interference With Employee Noncompete Agreements
2024 was a year in which there were significant developments with respect to restrictive covenants, particularly for employment noncompete agreements.
Tim Patterson Recognized at BizTimes Media Nonprofit Excellence Awards
Foley & Lardner LLP senior counsel Tim Patterson was named an honoree for BizTimes Media's Nonprofit Excellence Awards in the category of Next Generation Leadership.
Foley Attorneys Named 2023 Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Foley & Lardner LLP is pleased to announce that 18 of its attorneys were selected for inclusion in the 2023 Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.
Seventh Circuit Revives Franchise No-Poach Case, Holds Per Se Treatment Possible
A recent opinion by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reinstates allegations against McDonald’s that no-poach provisions in the company’s franchise agreements violate the antitrust laws, holding that such provisions may be per se illegal.