Matthew H. Patton was a legend among his colleagues at Kilpatrick Townsend as well as the wider bar, and we have mourned Matt's loss since he died on Jan. 6 in Dallas, Texas. For those who were privileged to have him as a mentor and friend, his influence continues to resonate every day in work and life.

I am one of those who can claim this good fortune from the early days of my career. By that time, Matt Patton already was one of Georgia's most respected litigators and, I might add, among the most formidable of opponents at trial. He believed that practicing law was a calling, and he answered this calling with an all-encompassing fervor and passion as an advocator and protector of his client's interests.

Matt Patton of Kilpatrick Townsend. Courtesy photo Matt Patton of Kilpatrick Townsend. (Courtesy photo)