By Jay Wedgeworth IV

Houston Style sat down with legal eagle Adrian Patterson to learn more about his path from humble beginnings to becoming Houston’s go-to attorney for public finance at Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP. And there is no doubt he will be an integral part of Houston’s future for decades to come.

“I really became interested in public finance and working with cities and universities to build streets and libraries and other projects for the public good,” Adrian said. In addition to the legal work he has been instrumental in at his alma mater, he is also a city council appointee to the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System, providing advice and insight into that important system. And yet another example of his commitment to building our community is serving as one of the outside counsel to Houston METRO. “I remember as a child we would often take the bus out of necessity to get around Houston, many of my family and friends did as well. So it is extremely rewarding to now work with METRO and be a part of their efforts to expand their service and reach even more people in our community.”

“It is a tremendous honor to work alongside Gene Locke and Bob Collie at Andrews Kurth—two men I greatly admire,” he said. At the firm, in addition to his focus on public finance and acting as bond counsel for cities, counties, school districts, state agencies, university systems, hospitals, municipal water and sewer systems and airports he is also a leader for numerous public law issues, including compliance reviews, elections, the Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act. He is a co-chair of the firm’s Political Action Committee (PAC) in an effort to recruit and support the best qualified candidates for elected office. Additionally, Adrian also chairs the firm’s Diversity Committee, helping direct vital community related spending consistent with their diversity and inclusion strategy.

Born and raised in Houston, Adrian is the product of the city’s public school system. He graduated from Milby High, where he was a member of the basketball team.

Adrian recalls his grandfather, Pat Patterson, as one of his childhood role models. He was the head football coach at Yates High School from the late 1940s to the 1960s, and was the first black coach to be elected to the Texas Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

“Before and during the early days of his football coaching career, he was 4-time All-Star infielder in the Negro Baseball League from 1934-1949, I am very proud of his legacy,” Adrian said.

After high school, Adrian attended the University of Houston where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities. He remains tied to the University today through his work as a public finance attorney, handling the school’s bond work and furthering its capital projects–including renovation of the existing Hofheinz Pavilion into the new Fertitta Center.

Following graduation, Adrian moved to London and worked at the global law firm, Skadden Arps. It was during his time there that he decided to pursue a career in law.

“I had a few friends who decided to go law school, and that gave me a little more confidence,” Adrian said. “I thought, if they can do it, so can I.”

He enrolled at Tulane Law School in New Orleans after returning from his one-year stint in Lon-don. While he pursued his degree, Adrian interned with the New York City office of Skadden Arps, the Houston office of Fulbright & Jaworksi, and the legal department at Exxon.

“I worked all the time and I loved it,” Adrian said. “I would have worked the night shift if they let me.”

After he graduated from Tulane, he moved back to Houston to practice law.

It was shortly after graduation from law school that Adrian met his future wife, Erin Rice. The two had attended Lanier Middle School together, but lost touch over the years. As luck would have it, a chance meeting brought them together again, and they eventually were married.

Erin serves on the board of HISD’s Emerge Program and is an advisory board member of the Midtown Arts and Theater Center of Houston. Erin’s father, William Rice, is a well-known Hous-ton attorney who has practiced for more than 40 years.

Adrian shares Erin’s community-mindedness, having served as board chair of Project Row Houses, treasurer of the Houston Arts Alliance, and as a board member of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. He currently serves on the Hermann Park Conservancy, and was very involved in the campaign to elect Mayor Sylvester Turner.

But the most important thing for both of them is family and Adrian and Erin are focused on raising their two sons—Adrian Jordan, 9, and Evan Patrick, 6.

“I enjoy anything that involves spending time with my family—whether coaching my kids’ basketball and baseball teams or watching them play,” Adrian said. “We also love to travel. We try to get away for a couple of weeks each summer. Over the past three years, we’ve made trips to Australia, Fiji, Italy, and California. It’s one of our few indulgences as a family, and it gives us the opportunity to expose our boys to as many cultures as possible,” he said.

The Patterson family also finds plenty of fun right here in town.

“We love Houston sports—we go to Astros games as a family, and make several Texans and Rockets games each year,” Adrian said. “We also enjoy roaming the Rice University campus on weekends. The kids ride their bikes, we throw the football, or just take a walk.” Adrian notes that his two boys find fun on Houston’s METRO light rail, too. “They don’t care where they go, they just like to ride,” he said.

The Menil Collection is another family-favorite destination. “I was president of the Menil Contemporaries -- the museum’s young patrons group -- for several years,” Adrian said. “The arts are very important to us.”

Food is a family affair as well. The Pattersons can be found most Fridays at El Tiempo restaurant. According to Adrian, it’s become somewhat of a ritual.

Outside of work, community service, and spending time with his family, Adrian also manages to make time for reading.

“I read the Houston Chronicle and The Wall Street Journal every morning, and of course Hous-ton Style. I’ll read anything by Michael Lewis (author of Liar’s Poker), and am also a big fan of audio books. I’m currently listening to How Champions Think by Bob Rotella, and just finished Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough.

Houston is home for Adrian, and he sees the city’s diversity and entrepreneurial spirit as two of its greatest strengths.

“I love how people will embrace you here,” he said. “No one cares where you come from—the city just opens itself up to you. And in times of need – like we are experiencing after Hurricane Harvey – we pull together, help our neighbors rebuild our community and get back to work.”

Adrian Patterson was named among The Best Lawyers in America, Public Finance 2013-2017; a Texas Rising Star by Texas Monthly (2012-2016); and Fellow of the Legal Council on Legal Diversity (2011-2012).