How Atlanta's Fly Lawyer built a brand in court
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Jackie "The Fly Lawyer" Patterson. Photo: Courtesy of Jackie "The Fly Lawyer" Patterson
If you're in trouble with the law, you need an advocate by your side in court. Preferably someone rocking red-bottom Louboutin shoes.
Why it matters: Metro Atlanta's legal scene is crowded with personas — Strong Arms, Super Lawyers, Bald Lawyers, One Call That's All, you name it. But there is only one Jackie "The Fly Lawyer" Patterson.
- Literally. Patterson trademarked — and legally changed his middle name to — "The Fly Lawyer."
Catch up quick: Patterson, who was born roughly 50 miles southwest of Atlanta in Hogansville but grew up in Atlanta, says he's always had The Fly Lawyer mindset.
- While serving in the U.S. military, Patterson told Axios, he starched his shirts every day.
"No matter what profession you're in, whether you're a police officer, soldier, lawyer, judge, you want to make sure that people remember you," he said. "The first impression is what they remember."
Zoom in: Patterson's style — Keith James hats, monogrammed Miguel Wilson suits — and penchant for self-promotion have made him a familiar face in metro Atlanta courtrooms and beyond.
- 90% of his cases are criminal defense, DUIs, traffic offenses and personal injury.
Fun fact: Patterson originally branded himself as The Bentley Lawyer (because he owns and drives the luxury car).
- When the automaker demanded Patterson stop using the nickname, the lawyer came up with "a name that nobody can ever take from you."
- He took a look in his closet (he owns more than 300 pairs of Christian Louboutin red-bottom shoes, he said) and in his garage (where two Maybachs and a Rolls-Royce are parked).
- The rest is history — and recorded in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
What's next: After rapper Stunna Stunna wrote him a song to thank him for getting a reduction of serious charges against the musician's brother, Patterson has launched a music career.
- He has 14 tracks and counting.
- Patterson is releasing a birthday tribute on April 3 to his ex-wife, who recently died. One week later, he's dropping his "summer jam" called "Fly Justice."
The big picture: "Every day I wake up, the first thing I say is, How much fun am I going to have today?"
- "This is the only job I know that you can have fun, keep people out of prison only by using your mental aspect, no physical work. And then, your image is off the chart? So it's a dream."