Mr. Patchen received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in 1957 and his law degree from The Ohio State University in 1959. Mr. Patchen was an Assistant Attorney General and an associate in a Columbus business law firm before he opened his own practice in 1964, and he founded the firm with Denis Murphy in 1967.

He is active in the American, Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations, and has served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Columbus Bar Association. A Fellow of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, Mr. Patchen has lectured on various business law subjects to business people, accountants and lawyers. Mr. Patchen's personal area of concentration is privately-owned businesses.