Heyl Royster

Patrick Cloud

Office Managing Partner & Shareholder
Edwardsville, IL

Joined Firm in 2004

Patrick creates innovative solutions to thorny legal challenges facing our firm’s clients.

  • Insurance Services Practice & Class Action/Mass Tort Practice Groups Chair
  • The American Lawyer Top Rated Insurance Law Lawyer
  • J.D., Washington University School of Law, The Order of the Coif
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Patrick Cloud

Attorney in Edwardsville, IL

As Chair of our Insurance Services Practice, Patrick represents insurance carriers throughout Missouri and Illinois, prosecutes actions for declaratory judgment, and defends breach of contract matters, bad faith cases, and proceedings ancillary to coverage issues, such as interpleader actions. He also regularly advises clients on potential obligations under all insurance policies. Patrick has written extensively on insurance coverage matters, including co-authoring a chapter in the Commercial and Professional Liability Insurance Practice Handbook, published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Patrick regularly speaks on insurance coverage matters, including at national insurance conferences.

Additionally, Patrick plays a significant role as a member of the firm’s Toxic Torts & Asbestos Practice, taking the lead in the defense of firm clients in some of the most challenging venues in the country. He also regularly defends firm clients in class action litigation pending in state and federal court. These matters have included insurance-related class action litigation, consumer class action litigation, TCPA class action litigation, and landlord/tenant class action litigation, among other types of claims.

When he is not working, Patrick enjoys skiing, mountain biking, weightlifting, and spending time with his partner, two children, and a golden retriever.

Credentials

Education

J.D., Washington University School of Law, The Order of Coif

B.S., University of Notre Dame, Economics, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Licensure(s) and Admission(s)

State Courts of Illinois

State Courts of Missouri

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois

Professional Affiliations

Defense Research Institute

Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel

Illinois Defense Counsel, Insurance Law Committee, Former Chair & Vice-Chair

Illinois State Bar Association

Madison County Bar Association

The Missouri Bar Association

Presentations/Publications

Presentations

"Motorized Vehicles: Liability & Coverage Issues," PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo (2023)

"Passage and Development of the Insurance Placement Liability Act," Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Online Seminar (2019)

"Darkness Falls: Exposure to Extracontractual Liability," Heyl Royster's 33rd Annual Claims Handling Seminar (2018)

"Independent Counsel and the Ethics of the Tripartite Relationship," Insurance Coverage Institute: Downstate (2018)

"Off the Field: Insurance Coverage Issues," Heyl Royster's 32nd Annual Claims Handling Seminar (2017)

"Working Through Not-So-Common Coverage Issues," Heyl Royster's 31st Annual Claims Handling Seminar (2016)

"Recent Developments in Insurance Coverage," Heyl Royster’s 30th Annual Claims Handling Seminar (2015)

"The Insurance Jungle – Navigating Your Way to Successful Results," Moderator, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, St. Louis, Missouri (2015)

"Uncertainty Piled Onto Confusion: Jury Instructions In Construction Cases After Ramirez v. FCL Builders," IDC 2015 Statewide CLE Series, Edwardsville, Illinois (2015)

"Handling Insurance Coverage Disputes," Moderator, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Bloomington, Illinois (2014)

"Insurance Coverage Update," Heyl Royster Claims Handling Seminar (2010-2014)

"Personal Auto Policy: The Fundamentals," PLRB/LIRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo, Orlando, Florida (2012)

Publications

"Intentional Act Exclusion," chapter in Commercial and Professional Liability Insurance Practice Handbook, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Handbook (2014, 2019, 2023)

Section 155 Necessitates A Separate Action on the Policy,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2022)

"Equitable Contribution versus Equitable Subrogation: A Brief Overview," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2021)

"An Insured Does Not Control Its Insurer," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (2020)

"Rise of the Machines: Cyber-Based Liability and Its Attendant Coverage Questions," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly Monograph (2020)

"The Insurance Placement Liability Act After Skaperdas v. Country Casualty Insurance Company," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2019)

"Insurer Exposure to Extracontractual Liability: An Overview," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly Monograph (2018)

"An Examination of Reasonableness Requirements for Settlements by Insureds: Central Mutual Insurance Company v. Tracy's Treasures, Inc.," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2018)

"Settling Without Consent: The When and The How," FDCC Insights, A Journal for Defense and Corporate Counsel (2016)

"Additional Limits to the Targeted Tender Doctrine: AMCO Insurance Co. v. Cincinnati Insurance Co.," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2015)

"Survey of Insurance Law Cases," Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel's 2013 Survey of Law (2014)

"Unintended Consequences of Additional Insured Endorsements: Coverage for an Additional Insured Where the Claim Arose from the Named Insured's Professional Services," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2013) 

Click here to view full list

Awards/Recognition

  • Best Lawyer in AmericaTM by The Best Lawyers in AmericaTM - Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, and Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants
  • Super Lawyer Rising Star by Super Lawyers®, 2012 – 2018
  • Emerging Lawyer by Law Bulletin Media℠, 2015 – 2017
  • 40 Under Forty Award by Law Bulletin Media
  • Leading Lawyer by Law Bulletin Media

Public Profile

As Chair of our Insurance Services Practice, Patrick represents insurance carriers throughout Missouri and Illinois, prosecutes actions for declaratory judgment, and defends breach of contract matters, bad faith cases, and proceedings ancillary to coverage issues, such as interpleader actions. He also regularly advises clients on potential obligations under all insurance policies. Patrick has written extensively on insurance coverage matters, including co-authoring a chapter in the Commercial and Professional Liability Insurance Practice Handbook, published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Patrick regularly speaks on insurance coverage matters, including at national insurance conferences.

Additionally, Patrick plays a significant role as a member of the firm’s Toxic Torts & Asbestos Practice, taking the lead in the defense of firm clients in some of the most challenging venues in the country. He also regularly defends firm clients in class action litigation pending in state and federal court. These matters have included insurance-related class action litigation, consumer class action litigation, TCPA class action litigation, and landlord/tenant class action litigation, among other types of claims.

When he is not working, Patrick enjoys skiing, mountain biking, weightlifting, and spending time with his partner, two children, and a golden retriever.

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