A native of Lancaster, South Carolina, Derek received his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in 2007 from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. While at Presbyterian, Derek was named to the Dean's List, worked in the student center, and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. Immediately following undergraduate school, Derek entered law school and earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2010. While attending law school, Derek studied abroad at the St. Mary's University Institute on World Legal Problems in Innsbruck, Austria, where he studied under an international faculty, including United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
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After completing his education, Derek decided that the best use of his legal education would be to serve his hometown area. He began his legal career at a small law firm in Lancaster, where he represented clients on a broad range of matters, including domestic, civil, criminal, and probate issues. Derek joined the Schiller & Hamilton team in 2016 and is now a partner, managing the firm’s office in downtown Lancaster. Having narrowed the focus of his practice to plaintiff's litigation, including automobile and truck collisions, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, and premises liability, Derek continues to enjoy providing premier legal representation and personal service to the communities of Lancaster County, as well as the surrounding counties of Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, and Chesterfield.
A lifelong outdoorsman, Derek was awarded the Eagle Scout rank in 2001 while a member of the Boy Scouts of America. Since 2015, he has been an active volunteer with Ducks Unlimited, serving as the Area Chairman of the Lancaster County Chapter, as well as serving on the South Carolina Ducks Unlimited State Committee. Also active in his community, Derek is a graduate of the Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce's "Leadership Lancaster" program, and was recently chosen as one of the Chamber's Top 10 Under 40 business leaders for Lancaster County. When not practicing law, Derek enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, as well as traveling, fellowship with friends, and hunting or fishing throughout the Carolinas and beyond.
