[3] In 1980, she graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
She is a 1983 graduate of Cornell Law School, where she won the Cuccia Cup moot court competition.
In 1983, Patterson joined the law firm of Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP as an associate.
In 1989, Patterson left Riker Danzig to serve as a deputy attorney general and special assistant to New Jersey Attorney General Peter N. Perretti, Jr., handling civil litigation and criminal appeals on behalf of the state.
Her practice focused on product liability, intellectual property and commercial litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts.