Patrick J. McKenna joined Penrose Chun & Gorman LLP as an Associate Attorney in 2024. His primary areas of practice are real estate litigation and trust and estate litigation, with many cases involving complicated family dynamics and many successfully settled through mediation; landlord-tenant matters including prosecution of complex unlawful detainer cases; and real estate matters including neighbor disputes, nondisclosure issues, and ownership disputes.
Prior to joining Penrose Chun & Gorman LLP, Mr. McKenna worked at the Sixth District Appellate Program (SDAP) from 2012 to 2024 where he honed his litigation skills. During his time at SDAP, Mr. McKenna served as counsel in over 100 appeals in criminal, juvenile dependency, juvenile delinquency, and civil commitment cases. He was lead counsel in a number of published appellate victories, including People v. Sumagang (2021) 69 Cal.App.5th 712, where his client’s first-degree murder conviction was reversed. While at SDAP, Mr. McKenna coordinated and presented at dozens of trainings for appellate and trial attorneys. He has argued in front of the California Supreme Court.
From 2019 to 2024, Mr. McKenna served as SDAP’s Executive Director, where he managed seven staff attorneys and a panel of 160 contracted attorneys in approximately 600 appeals annually. He presently serves as the chair of SDAP’s Boad of Directors, and from 2022 to 2024, he served as the Advisory Member for the Judicial Council of California’s Appellate Indigent Defense Oversight and Advisory Committee.
Practice Areas: Real Estate Litigation, Trust and Estate Litigation
Bar Admission
- California, December 2010
Education
- J.D., University of San Diego School of Law, 2010
- B.A., cum laude, UC San Diego, 2007
Memberships
- State Bar of California
- Trusts and Estates Section, State Bar of California
- Santa Cruz County Bar Association
- Santa Cruz County Trial Lawyers Association
