W. Patrick Donlin

W. Patrick Donlin (May 12, 1937 – February 3, 1996) was an American lawyer and judge. He was one of the first judges of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, serving from 1978 to 1981, and, before that, was a county and circuit judge in Price County, Wisconsin. He left the judiciary in 1981 to become supreme advocate (general counsel) of the Knights of Columbus, a title he held until his death.

Early life and career Born in Madison, Wisconsin, he attended Saint Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota, and then the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he received his Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws degrees in 1961. He worked for several years as a lawyer in private practice until his election as district attorney of Price County in 1970, when he defeated incumbent Republican district attorney Paul Gehring. He served one full term and was re-elected in 1972, but left office in January 1974 after being elected County Judge. Less than two years later, following the Wisconsin courts reorganization authorized by the constitutional amendments of 1977, Judge Donlin ran for the newly created position of judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. In the April 1978 general election, he defeated Brown County Judge James W. Byers. Despite having won a six-year term, Judge Donlin resigned in the middle of his third year on the court in order to go work as assistant supreme advocate for the Knights of Columbus—he was appointed supreme advocate four months later.