Derrick is a Knoxville-based intellectual property attorney who joined Trust Tree in 2025. He helps businesses navigate the nuances of IP ownership, particularly with respect to the cost-effective resolution of disputes. Derrick is a proud alum of Southern Illinois University and the University of Tennessee, from which he accepted the Presidential Scholarship and Dean’s Scholarship to pursue a B.S. in Physiology and J.D., respectively. He has assisted a vast number of clients from around the world with their legal matters—including thousands of trademark filings with the USPTO and well over one hundred trademark disputes before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and federal courts across seven states. He is an active participant in the IP community, volunteering his time as a mentor for startups in several accelerator programs and serving on the Trademark Reporter Committee of the International Trademark Association.

Away from work, Derrick and his wife try to keep up with their two young daughters, which often involves trips to the Smoky Mountains and interesting renditions of “Rocky Top” along the way. His nearly nonexistent personal time is spent around a grill or smoker, watching the Vols, playing video games, or realizing just how out of practice he is with his guitars.