Derek is a Pacific Northwest native and the son of a logger and a public school teacher. He grew up in Southwest Washington, felling timber and bucking logs with his father. As a young man, Derek became a Wildland Firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service. He supervised other firefighters and developed a deep appreciation for the safety rules that protect workers and protect everyone in our community. When Derek was 26 years old, his 22-year-old cousin was killed on the job as a power lineman because his employer violated key safety rules. The employer took shortcuts and chose not to ground the utility truck that day. The worker’s compensation law provided no recourse for Derek’s cousin or family, and there was no legal action that would discourage the employer from creating other dangerous conditions. That powerless feeling led Derek to pursue a career in law. He committed himself to using the civil justice system to hold negligent and reckless people and corporations accountable when they injure or kill others.