Patrick picture

Patrick Bobko

Equity Partner

Orange County

t: (949) 223-1170

d: (949) 250-5403

e: pbobko@awattorneys.com

VCard

Bio

Patrick “Kit” Bobko has been litigating and winning complex civil and business disputes in both state and federal courts for the past 25 years. Kit has been called to handle high-stakes cases for small businesses, local government agencies, and large corporations.

In addition to his civil litigation practice, Kit also has deep experience in advisory and general counsel roles. He served as the City Attorney for the City of Buena Park and currently serves as the General Counsel for the County of Orange Countywide Oversight Board.

Kit was a twice-elected Mayor and City Councilman in Hermosa Beach, California. His broad base of personal and professional experience gives him a unique, inside perspective on how both local government and the legal systems work and how legal counsel can best serve to help clients accomplish their goals. His experience in local government, as a City Attorney, and in the courtroom help Kit guide his clients to effectively measure their options and manage their risks.

Prior to his career in the law, Kit served as a Captain in the USAF.

  • City of Riverside v. Rubidoux Community Services District: Represented Rubidoux in trial and on appeal. In October 2023 the Fourth District Court of Appeal (Division 3) reversed and remanded the trial court’s initial judgment in favor of Riverside for further proceedings.

  • Represented the County of Orange in its efforts to recover costs associated with the January 2021 oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach. Successfully recovered more than $1M in costs for the County (100 cents on the dollar) from the responsible oil company.

  • Recovered $1.25M in costs associated with the October 2022 oil spill in the Talbert Channel in Huntington Beach from the responsible oil company.

  • Hermosa Fitness LLP v. City of Hermosa Beach: Represented plaintiff gym, CrossFit Horsepower Hermosa Beach, which filed a writ of administrative mandate in state court together with a federal court section 1983 civil rights and takings claims against the City after the city council passed a resolution that effectively closed the gym. Obtained a writ of mandate from the trial court setting aside the city’s resolution. The federal section 1983 case was mediated before a federal magistrate judge resulting in approximately $1M recovery for the gym in May 2022.

  • People v. City of Mission Viejo: Represented the City of Mission Viejo against a lawsuit that would have removed a majority of Mission Viejo’s city council from office three months before a scheduled election. The Fourth District Court of Appeal (Division 3) issued an emergency stay preventing this from occurring, allowing the scheduled election to proceed without litigation-related claims about the council members.

  • City of Santa Ana v. Lundar Yuh: (Fourth Appellate District, Division Three - Case No. G060889): Successfully prosecuted a case against a cannabis dispensary that was a chronic nuisance to the surrounding community from bench trial through the Court of Appeal. Obtained an attorneys’ fee award and recovered $400,000 for Santa Ana.

  • Vasquez v. City of Pomona: Represented individual police captain in combined employment/tort case. In June 2022, the trial court granted summary judgment to defendant.

  • City of Moreno Valley v. DeSantis, et al.: Represented former Assistant City Attorney in multiple defendant litigation involving California False Claims Act allegations. The trial court sustained a demurrer without leave.

  • Led a team of attorneys, investigators, and multi-jurisdictional law enforcement personnel in obtaining a “gang injunction” for a San Gabriel Valley city against the DuRoc Crips and Monrovia Nuevo Vario.

  • Authored numerous high-profile amicus briefs supporting Orange County cities including: Barnes v. Superior Court (2021 WL 516055 (Cal.App. 4 Dist., Div. 3) (objecting to the release of all inmates from the Orange County Jail during COVID-19); Huntington Beach, et. al. v. Gavin Newsom (Case No. 30-2020-01139512-CU-MC-CJC) (supporting OC beach cities’ constitutional right to local control in the face of state beach closures); SoCal Recovery, LLC, et al. v. City of Costa Mesa (Case Nos. 20-55820, 20-55870) (9th Cir. 2023) (supporting local government zoning control).

  • Mayor, Council Member – City of Hermosa Beach (2006-13)

  • Candidate for Congress – 36th Congressional District (2011)

  • Board of Directors – Independent Cities Association

  • City Attorney – City of Buena Park (2016-18)

  • California – all state courts

  • U.S. Supreme Court

  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal

  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California

  • Author, Chapter 14, “Trial and Judgment” - California Administrative Mandamus, CEB

  • U.S. Air Force Academy – B.S.

  • Univ. of South Carolina – M.A. (Philosophy)

  • The Geo. Washington Univ. – J.D.