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Biography

Derrick is an associate practicing with Frost Brown Todd’s Corporate Law Practice Group and Intellectual Property Practice Group. Derrick serves as a business advisor and corporate transactional lawyer to startups, small to mid-sized businesses, and Fortune 50 companies. Derrick’s clients range across multiple sectors including technology, commercial retail, restaurants, real estate development, private equity, venture capital, non-profits, and sports & entertainment. Derrick has also established a reputation as a subject matter expert in consumer privacy, esports, and social media influencers. Derrick places importance on utilizing his expansive network, both in the Pittsburgh area and nationally, to add value to his clients by connecting individuals and businesses across various sectors with an emphasis on growth and relationship building for his clients.

Derrick boasts a wide range of experience. From commercial transactions and business advisement for startups and small businesses, to serving as privacy counsel for institutional clients, to mergers and acquisitions throughout the United States, Derrick is dedicated to helping companies and communities grow intelligently. Drawing from a diverse business and legal background, Derrick provides clients with effective and efficient solutions to challenging problems.

Other Info About Derrick

Education

Law School

Duquesne University School of Law, J.D., 2020

Charles Hamilton Houston Scholar
Parker Scholar
Oliver L. Johnson Scholar

Undergraduate School

Indiana University of Pennsylvania, B.S., Criminology, magna cum laude, 2017

Frederick Douglass Human Development Award
W.E.B. DuBois Outstanding Student Award

Eastern Arizona College, A.A., General Studies, 2014, summa cum laude

Bar Memberships

Derrick is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Pennsylvania, 2020

Courts

Derrick is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania, 2021

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Associate Advancement Academy for Excellence Fellow, National Bar Association, 2022

Lawyers on the Fast Track, The Legal Intelligencer, 2022

Trailblazer in the Law, American Lawyer Magazine, 2021

30 under 30, Pittsburgh Business Times, 2020

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Allegheny County Bar Association

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Duquesne University Black Alumni Network, Executive Board

AD99 Solutions Foundation, Board Member

AlphaLab, Mentor

Pittsburgh Young Professionals, Board Chair of Diversity & Inclusion

Prototype PGH, Board Member

Firm Committees

Derrick serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at Frost Brown Todd:

Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Member

Presentations

Derrick was invited to speak at the following events:

Legal Principles for Success, Black Tech Week, July 2022

Good Governance, Black Tech Week, July 2022

NFTs and the Future of Sports, University of Dayton School of Law Program in Law and Technology Seminar, June 2022

The Legal Principles Every Founder Should be Aware of, Minority Innovation Weekend, May 2022

Baseball Arbitration: Past and Present, New York Law School, March 2022

The Rise of eSports and the Metaverse, HBCU Tech Law Summit, March 2022

11 Ways To Kill Your Startup, RustBuilt Conference, September 2021

Black Entrepreneurship in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Penguins, February 2021

Healthcare Privacy and Security – More than Just HIPAA, Healthcare Council of Western PA, October 2020

Major Publications

Derrick is an author or contributor to the following publications:

The Future of Data Privacy: Corporate Compliance in a Post-GDPR Global Market, Chief Privacy Officer Magazine, November 2018

Startups and the Law: The Legal Issues that can Shape the Trajectory of Tech Startups, teQ Magazine, June 2019

GDPR Compliance: The Practical Effects on the Way Companies Do Business, The Duquesne Lawyer, December 2019

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