Patrick N. Millsaps

Millsaps was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and grew up in Cobb County, Georgia, where he attended McEachern High School.

He enrolled in the University of Georgia School of Law in 1997{{cite web|last=Moe|first=Alex|title=Top Gingrich aide symbolizes unconventional approach|url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/21/10796418-top-gingrich-aide-symbolizes-unconventional-approach|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322014817/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/21/10796418-top-gingrich-aide-symbolizes-unconventional-approach|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 22, 2012|publisher=NBC|date=March 21, 2012 |access-date=February 25, 2012}} and obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 2000.

After passing the Georgia bar in 2000, Millsaps worked for criminal defense attorneys Ed Garland and Don Samuel. He practiced law with his mentor, Hylton B. Dupree, Jr.

In 2001, six months after receiving his bar license, Millsaps filed the first lawsuit on behalf of a charter school against a school district in Georgia. Millsaps represented Stone Mountain Charter School in a suit against the DeKalb County school board regarding funding.{{cite news|title=Charter school may close, leaders seek funds to sustain operation|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EC248B96A34C6B2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|date=May 17, 2001 |newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|access-date=March 15, 2012}} The suit alleged that the DeKalb school board was discriminating against the charter school and breaching its contract by allotting less money per student than other schools in the district. The school board settled the suit, although it denied any wrongdoing, citing the 1998 charter school law that did not provide guidelines for funding.{{cite news|title=DeKalb settles suit with charter school|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EDEDDE21C3B90D8&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=August 16, 2001 |access-date=March 15, 2012}}

Millsaps founded his law firm in 2004, which merged in 2011 with Hall Booth Smith, where he was made a partner.{{cite web|title=Attorneys: Patrick N. Millsaps|url=http://hbss.net/index.php?option=com_attorney&view=attorney&cityid=2&attid=652&Itemid=27|publisher=Hall Booth Smith|access-date=February 24, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829172606/http://hbss.net/index.php?option=com_attorney&view=attorney&cityid=2&attid=652&Itemid=27|archive-date=August 29, 2012|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|title=HBSS Offices|url=http://www.hbss.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=41|access-date=March 26, 2012|archive-date=April 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420101650/http://www.hbss.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=41|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Simo|first=Christy|title=2011 40 Under 40: Georgia's Best & Brightest|url=http://www.georgiatrend.com/October-2011/2011-40-Under-40/|date=October 2011|newspaper=Georgia Trend|access-date=February 24, 2012}} In 2008, Millsaps represented the Georgia Department of Community Health as Special Counsel to Governor Sonny Perdue.{{cite web|last=Perdue|first=Sonny|title=Executive Order|url=http://gov.georgia.gov/vgn/images/portal/cit_1210/58/27/10407917701_28_08_01.pdf|publisher=State of Georgia|access-date=May 9, 2012|date=January 28, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527125128/http://gov.georgia.gov/vgn/images/portal/cit_1210/58/27/10407917701_28_08_01.pdf|archive-date=May 27, 2010|df=mdy-all}} In 2010, Millsaps obtained a $1.5 million jury verdict for the family of a man killed by a drunk driver.{{cite web|last=Cohilas|first=Karen|title=Family wins wrongful death suit|url=http://www.walb.com/global/Story.asp?s=11792222|publisher=WALB News|date=January 8, 2012|access-date=March 26, 2012|archive-date=April 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407070444/http://www.walb.com/global/Story.asp?s=11792222|url-status=dead}}

On December 26, 2011, Millsaps volunteered as a deputy general counsel for Newt Gingrich's 2012 campaign for the Republican nomination amid a decline in Gingrich's polling numbers heading into the Iowa Caucus.{{cite news|last=Cameron|first=Carl|title=Gingrich Names New Chief of Staff|url=http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2012/02/03/gingrich-names-new-chief-staff|work=Fox News|date=February 3, 2012|access-date=February 24, 2012|archive-date=February 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222233454/http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2012/02/03/gingrich-names-new-chief-staff|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Rhem|first=Todd|title=Patrick Millsaps named Gingrich campaign Deputy General Counsel|url=http://www.peachpundit.com/2012/01/03/patrick-millsaps-named-gingrich-campaign-deputy-general-counsel/|publisher=Peach Pundit|date=January 3, 2012|access-date=March 25, 2012|archive-date=August 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826000458/http://www.peachpundit.com/2012/01/03/patrick-millsaps-named-gingrich-campaign-deputy-general-counsel/|url-status=dead}} After working for the campaign for a month and helping orchestrate Gingrich's primary win in South Carolina, Gingrich promoted Millsaps to chief of staff following the Florida primary and reorganized the campaign's structure.

File:Patrick Millsaps as extra in Road Trip.png

Millsaps began his career in show business as a talent manager before transitioning to film production. His first film as executive producer came about when a principal backer of the film, representing 20% of the budget, withdrew just 5 days before the scheduled shooting start.{{cite web|last1=Hendricks|first1=Jim|title=Patrick Millsaps brings Southern charm to Hollywood|url=http://www.albanyherald.com/news/albany-attorney-patrick-millsaps-brings-southern-charm-to-hollywood/article_7c22496a-8566-535c-b5bf-17424ba4f451.html |website=Albany Herald |date=April 17, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2016}} The film producers sought Millsaps' assistance, and he secured the required financing in less than a day. I'll See You In My Dreams, starring Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott, was completed on a $1 million budget and grossed over $7 million at the box office. The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.{{cite web|title=Sundance Blog|url=http://www.sundance.org/blogs/news/premiere-and-doc-premiere-films-and-special-events-announced-for-2015-festival|website=Sundance}}

In December 2015, Millsaps founded Londonderry Entertainment, a talent management and production company.{{cite web|last1=Busch|first1=Anita|title=Londonderry Comes Aboard To Finish Financing on "Wild Man"|url=https://deadline.com/2016/05/wild-man-kate-upton-londonderry-financing-1201752376/|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 10, 2016 |access-date=June 3, 2016}} The company was subsequently restructured with three subsidiaries: a film finance and production company, a television and digital media finance and production company, and a targeted film marketing company.{{cite web|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=Walden Media Co-Founder Chip Flaherty Joins Londonderry Films|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/walden-media-founder-chip-flaherty-londonderry-films-1202498432/|website=Variety|date=July 18, 2017 |publisher=Variety Media, LLC}} Londonderry ceased operations in 2018.

In 2016, Millsaps publicly criticized the Georgia General Assembly's "Religious Liberty" bill, warning that its passage would result in a Hollywood boycott negatively impacting the state economy.{{cite web |last1=Galloway |first1=Jim |title=How Georgia's Film Industry Has Muddled GOP battle lines over '"religious liberty" |url=http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/03/30/how-georgias-film-industry-has-muddled-gop-battle-lines-over-religious-liberty/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604161225/http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/03/30/how-georgias-film-industry-has-muddled-gop-battle-lines-over-religious-liberty/ |archive-date=June 4, 2016 |access-date=June 3, 2016 |website=www.ajc.com}} Under pressure from detractors, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal vetoed the legislation.{{cite web |last1=Bluestein |first1=Greg |title=Nathan Deal vetoes Georgia's "religious liberty" bill |url=http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/03/28/breaking-nathan-deal-will-veto-georgias-religious-liberty-bill/ |access-date=June 3, 2016 |website=www.ajc.com}}

In 2019, Millsaps founded Kane Studio, a real estate development company, to design and build a new production studio in Georgia. The Kane project will be located in an Opportunity Zone. The facility is expected to be operational in the summer of 2022. It is projected to include a film and television production studio on a 1500-acre site, with more than 650,000 square feet of sound stages.{{cite web |last1=Katz |first1=Brandon |title=They were about to build earth's biggest studio when a pandemic hit. |url=https://observer.com/2020/06/kane-studios-coronavirus-pandemic/ |website=Observer.com |date=June 23, 2020 |access-date=24 April 2022}} In 2009, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed the first tax incentive bill to encourage film and television production in the state.{{cite web|last1=Longwell|first1=Todd|title=Vampire Diaries Hunger Games Fuel Peachy Georgia Production Scene|url=https://variety.com/2013/biz/news/georgia-games-competitors-with-tax-incentives-1200668497/|website=www.variety.com|date=September 26, 2013 }}{{cite web|title=Film Industry generates $6 billion for Georgia economy|url=http://www.georgia.org/newsroom/press-releases/film-industry-generates-6-billion-for-georgias-economy/|website=Georgia Economic Development}} At the time, Perdue credited Millsaps for his contribution to the effort.{{cite web|last1=Yamato|first1=Jen|title=Ex-Gingrich Chief of Staff Launches Management Co. Following Stacey Dash Fox News Deal|url=https://deadline.com/2014/06/hbs-management-patrick-millsaps-adam-trahan-stacey-dash-791290/|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=June 17, 2014 |access-date=September 6, 2014}}

Following the May 2017 bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, Millsaps wrote an open letter to Grande that went viral.{{cite web|last1=Romano|first1=Nick|title=Father pens 'redneck love' letter to Ariana Grande after Manchester attack|url=https://ew.com/music/2017/05/26/ariana-grande-manchester-attack-father-letter/|website=ew.com|publisher=Entertainment Weekly}} In the letter, he advised her not to feel responsible for the evil act of a "jackass." He encouraged her to heal and to sing again when she is ready. After sharing the letter on Twitter,{{cite web |last1=Millsaps |first1=Patrick |url=https://twitter.com/PatrickMillsaps/status/867260451704504320 |title=An open letter to @ArianaGrande #ManchesterBombing #ManchesterStrong #arianastaystrong #ArianaGrandeConcert #love #hope #peace #song |access-date=June 3, 2017}} it was viewed millions of times, shared over 100,000 times, and liked by pop stars Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, and Grande herself.{{cite news|last1=Graham|first1=Chris|title=Father's emotional open letter to Ariana Grande over Manchester terror attack goes viral|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/25/fathers-emotional-open-letter-ariana-grande-manchester-terror/|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=May 26, 2017 }} Millsaps' letter received worldwide media attention.{{cite web|last1=Thompson|first1=Rachel|title=Everyone has fallen in love with this dad's letter to Ariana Grande|date=May 26, 2017 |url=http://mashable.com/2017/05/26/open-letter-ariana-grande/#fNF4LeVupPqB|publisher=Mashable}}{{cite web|last1=La Rosa|first1=Erin|title=People Are Emotional Over This Dad's Open Letter To Ariana Grande After The Manchester Attack|website=BuzzFeed |date=May 27, 2017 |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/this-letter-from-a-dad-to-ariana-grande-after-the}}{{cite news|last1=Estate|first1=Lamia|title='When you're ready, sing again.' Advice to Ariana Grande|work=BBC News |date=May 25, 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-40044261}} In 2018, Millsaps' letter was published in "Letters to Change the World: From Pankhurst to Orwell" by Travis Elborough.{{cite book |last1=Elborough |first1=Travi |title=Letters To Change The World: From Pankhurst to Orwell |date=2019 |publisher=Ebury Press |chapter=Chapter 61 |isbn=9781473560482 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IjdKDwAAQBAJ}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikiquote}}

{{commons|Patrick Millsaps}}

• [http://www.kanestudio.com Kane Studio]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMu0FPKXZKc Television appearances]
• {{IMDb name|nm4920229}}

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Category:Lawyers from Knoxville, Tennessee

Category:Living people

Category:1973 births

Category:Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers

Category:Samford University alumni

Category:University of Georgia alumni

Category:University of Georgia School of Law alumni

Category:Male actors from Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:American political commentators

Category:American film producers

Category:American male non-fiction writers

Category:American speechwriters