SARASOTA, FL - Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC) has named Shumaker Partner Patrick Duggan as its Board of Directors’ First Vice President for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Patrick has been a member of the SPARCC Board of Directors since 2016.

“I am honored to serve in this role and look forward to doing whatever is necessary to help survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault,” Patrick said.

Formed in 1979, SPARCC is a nonprofit organization and is the only state-certified center for domestic violence and sexual assault services for Sarasota and DeSoto Counties. In addition to serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence, SPARCC is actively engaged in promoting social change through community awareness and education in an effort to prevent future violence. All of SPARCC’s services are free and confidential.

Experienced in both state and federal courts, Patrick practices employment law and litigation primarily on behalf of management in a variety of complex workplace public sector and business disputes.

Patrick has an extensive background representing a variety of governmental entities and public sector employees in Florida, including in law enforcement, fire and rescue, and education. He is one of three Shumaker lawyers who represent the School Board of Sarasota County. Patrick also routinely represents employers in a variety of pre-litigation matters, including before organizations such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR)