Wendy L. Patrick, JD, PhD

Wendy L. Patrick is a career trial attorney, recognized by her peers as one of the Top Ten criminal attorneys in San Diego by the San Diego Daily Transcript, and named the Public Lawyer of the Year by the California State Bar Public Law Section. She has completed over 160 trials ranging from hate crimes, to domestic violence, to first-degree murder.

Dr. Patrick teaches at a number of educational institutions, in person and online; both domestically and abroad. She has taught courses in Barcelona, Spain, Prague, Czech Republic and Pohang, South Korea.

Dr. Patrick received her PhD in Theology from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and a Master of Divinity degree summa cum laude from Bethel Seminary San Diego. She received her law degree from California Western School of Law, and her Bachelor’s degree in psychology with honors from the University of California Los Angeles.

Her legal education was multicultural and included study in Vienna, Austria, Budapest, Hungary and with a Barrister firm in London, England. She is admitted to practice law in California, the United States District Court in the Southern District of California, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

On a personal note, Dr. Patrick holds a purple belt in Shorin-Ryu karate, is a concert violinist with the La Jolla Symphony, and plays the electric violin professionally with a rock band, performing both locally and in Hollywood.

Student Reviews

"Prof Patrick was fantastic. Very engaging in the discussion boards and incredibly responsive to emails when I asked clarifying questions on assignments. One of the best instructors I've had in the program, and this is my 8th class."

-Summer '23 Student
"Professor Patrick asked very good questions that stimulated thought in the discussion posts. She did an excellent job and is well-versed. I appreciated her expertise."

-Summer '23 Student
"Professor Patrick's great communication skills and extensive background greatly added to this course's experience and learning."

-Summer '22 Student
"This is my 10th class in this program. Professor Patrick was the most engaged and charismatic of any of the professors I have had. That is significant to me considering the caliber of the USD Staff."

-Summer '21 Student
"Professor Patrick is a enthusiastic educator on a fairly dry subject matter. Her zoom meeting allowed interaction with my peers and gave us a better opprotunity to learn from an share with our class."

-Summer '21 Student
"Professor Patrick was very active in the discussion boards. She offered feedback and encouraged student participation. I appreciate how quickly she graded DB and written assignments."

-Summer '20 Student
"Professor Wendy Patrick was very well organized. I loved her instructional videos. They were professional, short, and helpful. Professor Wendy kept the class engaged, on track, and she graded our papers in a timely manner. She also added constructive advice with our graded papers, so we could improve each week."

-Summer '20 Student
"Professor Patrick was great! She was very involved in the discussion boards and commented on every single post. Her grading requirements were clearly stated in the rubric and she graded fairly according to the rubric. She did a great job grading assignments quickly and providing helpful feedback."

-Summer '20 Student

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Wendy L. Patrick, JD, PhD