Patrick G. Virgadamo

Louisiana Legislative Auditor

Areas of practice:

Public Law, Contracts and Employment Law (I'm a staff attorney for the Louisiana Legislative Auditor).

Favorite BRBA project or event:

Law Day (Belly Up with the Bar is a close second.)

Favorite artist:

George Rodrigue.

The last movie I saw:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 

Generally likes to read:

Anything about LSU Football & Baseball (especially on recruiting), and  anything by George R.R. Martin, Tolkien or Grisham. I also love to read well-written biographes, such as the one on Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

Memorable vacation:

My favorite vacation trip of all time has to be my trip to visit family in New York City in 1994. During that trip I was able to visit the World Trade Center, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, and meet several celebrities while riding on the bus all around Manhattan. But the best part has to be getting to drive a Ferrari Testarossa, my favorite car growing up, even if it was only for a block.

The biggest challenge facing attorneys today:

Balancing work and personal life, and for young attorneys, remembering that you are now part of a profession and the way you carry yourself in and out of the courtroom reflects not only on yourself, but on how the public views the profession and other members of the bar as a whole.

Family:

Just me, though I try to spoil my nieces and nephew every chance I can (it's always fun to be the cool uncle).

If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you be?

Drew Brees, I mean, he has the greatest job in the state and gets paid to play a game he loves.

Culinary talent:

Decent cook and baker. Professor Devlin once told me I had a career as a baker, if the whole law thing didn't work out.

If you weren't an attorney, what profession do you think you might choose?

I'd probably be a professor / teacher, but it would be fun to work in the front office of a professional sports team or as a writer for a technology blog.

Favorite saying/quote:

My two favorite quotations of all time are:
"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful." - John Wooden
and
"You shouldn't take life too seriously. You'll never get out of it alive." - Van Wilder

Favorite restaurant:

T. J. Ribs, though I find myself visiting the downtown location of the Jambalaya Shoppe a lot lately.

Community involvement:

I try to take an active role in the LLA's Adopt a Family Program. I also participate in fundraising efforts for PUSH America. Finally, I have helped judge 1L oral arguments each spring for the past three years to maintain my connection with the Law Center and to show my thanks to Professor Barry for all the help she has given to me over the years.

Best advice you have received:

Life is all about picking and choosing your battles. The key is to choose wisely, and learn from when you don't.

Little known fact:

My debate partner and I won the 2003 State Parliamentary Debate Championship (Louisiana Intercollegiate Forensics Association) in my first-ever college speech and debate tournament.

For more information or to comment on this this Member Spotlight feature, contact Susan Kelley at susan@brba.org or 225-214-5559.