Derrick Law Firm Injury Lawyers, PC

Bios

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  Dirk J. Derrick

  Owner - Attorney

  Dirk J. Derrick was born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 1960. He grew up in Conway. His first job was at the age of 6 as a farmhand on his grandfather's tobacco farm in rural Horry County. At age 9, he purchased his first vehicle when his grandfather sold him a 1960 pickup truck for the amount Dirk earned that week, $28.00. Dirk credits hot, humid summer days in the tobacco fields as his inspiration to excel in school and get a good education. He grew up in a house with his parents, Julius and Polly Derrick, and three sisters. His father was a high school teacher and football coach who had been co-captain of the 1957 South Carolina Gamecock football team and drafted by the New York Giants. Coach Derrick was very competitive and his children were raised to compete to win in anything they pursue. Everything was a competition including who could be the most productive in their summertime farming jobs, who could make the best grades in school, and who could win a particular athletic competition. This characteristic probably explains why all four children attended college and participated in college athletics. Dirk earned a football scholarship to Wofford College where he played for four years. After graduating, he coached college football at East Tennessee State University for one year where he met his wife, Michelle Garrity. They were married in 1985, the same year Dirk began law school at the University of South Carolina. He graduated in 1987 and began practicing in Horry County in 1988. Due to early success in the courtroom, Dirk worked his way into a partnership after just three years. In 1991, he left the partnership and established The Derrick Law Firm. He and his wife, Michelle, are very involved with their two sons, Dakota and Peyton. Dakota is a practicing attorney at The Derrick Law Firm and Peyton plays football at Appalachian State University. Dirk is also very involved with his community. He is a founding member and elder of The Rock, Conway's Community Church, which began in 2005 as a ministry for young people, people who have never gone to church, or people who have no interest in attending traditional churches. He is also involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has been so for 47 years since he first attended an FCA Camp in Black Mountain, NC. He has been a member of the Horry County FCA Adult Chapter and has also served on the Coastal Area FCA Board in the past. Dirk supports the Children's Mentoring Program of Horry County, formerly Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Horry County and was a board member for 14 years. His father and mother have been the co-directors of the program since 1989. The Derrick Law Firm sponsored the Derrick Law Firm Carolinas Kickoff Clash from 2012-2015. This is an interstate football weekend matching South Carolina teams versus North Carolina teams. The Derrick Law Firm also sponsored the annual Run for the Children 5K Race that began in 2013 and ran through 2016. The race ran through historic downtown Conway, and all funds raised went to the Children's Mentoring Program of Horry County. Dirk has focused his practice on personal injury, wrongful death, and worker's compensation cases since he graduated from law school in 1987. He has owned his own practice since 1991 and has office locations in Conway, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Florence, Charleston, North Charleston, and Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.

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  Link: Dirk J. Derrick

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  Taylor Hooven

  Attorney

  After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2016, Taylor took an associate position at a well-reputed defense firm in his hometown of Augusta, Georgia, where he cut his teeth defending insurance companies and their insureds in car accident and medical malpractice cases. His having begun his career learning from some highly gifted defense lawyers causes Taylor to bring a bit of a different perspective to the table. However, his goal was to return to practice law in South Carolina, and when The Derrick Law Firm presented him with the chance to represent individuals hurt by the negligence of others and those involved in work-related accidents, he seized the opportunity. Now he assists and guides DLF clients in personal injury and worker’s compensation matters, representing their interests and diligently fighting to for their rights against those whose carelessness, recklessness, negligence, or wrongful conduct have caused harm. Taylor grew up in Evans, Georgia, about two miles as the crow flies from the South Carolina state line. After graduating from Evans High School, he attended The University of Georgia for four years and earned a Bachelor’s degree in English. He then went on to law school at USC where he graduated cum laude in the top ten percent of his class. His grades garnered him membership in the prestigious Order of the Wig and Robe and Order of the Coif academic honor societies. While at USC, Taylor discovered his passion for the courtroom and joined the USC Mock Trial Team. He was privileged to travel all over the nation with fantastically talented teammates and coaches to participate in mock trial competitions. It was these competitions that steeled Taylor’s resolve to develop into a successful and persuasive courtroom advocate, which passion for advocacy he hopes to bring to bear on behalf of the people who choose The Derrick Law Firm to advocate for them. Although he attended law school at USC, he remains faithful to his Georgia Bulldogs during football season and to the North Carolina Tarheels during basketball season. Taylor enjoys fishing, football, basketball, reading, playing chess, bluegrass music, going to the beach, skiing, and playing his guitar, in no particular order. He understands that your legal issue is important to you and that perhaps you feel like you don’t know where in the world to start. Give us a call today, and rest assured that Taylor and the whole DLF team is ready, willing, and able to help you tackle your legal issue head-on. We look forward to working with and for you to help you reach the resolution you desire.

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  Link: Taylor Hooven

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  Dakota Derrick

  Attorney

  Dakota Julius Derrick was born and raised in Conway, SC. He attended Furman University on a football scholarship and played quarterback for the Paladins. After Furman, Dakota attended the University of South Carolina School of Law. During his time there, Dakota helped revive the school's mock trial team, competing alongside fellow Derrick Law Firm attorney Taylor Hooven in several national competitions. It was here that Dakota fell in love with the courtroom. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with honors in 2016, Dakota served two years as a judicial law clerk for Justice John Cannon Few of the South Carolina Supreme Court. Dakota worked with Justice Few on cases involving many areas of the law and assisted Justice Few in writing over two dozen majority and dissenting opinions. In 2018, Dakota returned home to Conway and joined The Derrick Law Firm to fulfill his lifelong dream of working alongside his father to represent those in need. Dakota's practice is focused mainly on car wreck cases, trucking cases, and workers' compensation cases.

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  Link: Dakota Derrick

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  Dorsey Strickland

  Attorney

  Dorsey was raised in Bayboro, South Carolina, a small community just outside of Conway. He attended Coastal Carolina University on an academic and athletic scholarship as a pitcher for the Chanticleer baseball team. After graduating from Coastal Carolina University with a degree in Finance, he worked briefly as a loan analyst at Conway National Bank before enrolling in law school at the Charleston School of Law. After graduating law school in 2010, Dorsey returned to Conway and began practicing in the areas of Criminal Defense and Family Law. Dorsey represented individuals facing criminal charges ranging from misdemeanors to high-level felonies. In the Family Court, Dorsey handled cases involving all domestic relations matters including divorce, child custody and support, alimony, property division, and adoptions. Through these areas of practice, Dorsey gained extensive experience in the courtroom. Additionally, by handling cases in such emotional and life altering areas of the law, he came to understand the importance of developing personal relationships with his clients and earning their trust. Dorsey now applies his litigation experience and client centered approach to his personal injury clients at The Derrick Law Firm. Outside of the office, Dorsey is actively involved in the local community. He is an active member of The Coastal American Inn of Court. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Coastal Athletic Foundation (“CAF”), a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance for Coastal Carolina Athletics, and is also a Board Member for the Waccamaw Sertoma Club, a volunteer civic organization in Conway which supports local charities.

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  Allyson Pittman

  Attorney

  Allyson Pittman was born and raised in the small town of Dillon, right on the South Carolina/North Carolina border. She attended the University of South Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management, with a Criminal Justice minor. After graduating magna cum laude from USC, she attended Charleston School of Law. Upon graduating from Charleston School of Law, Allyson took a position working for the Public Defender’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit in South Carolina. There she represented individuals who had been charged with low level to high level criminal charges. Allyson then left the Public Defender’s Office to go into private practice. She handled cases in the areas of family law, workers’ compensation, personal injury, real estate, civil litigation, and criminal law. Through practicing in many areas of the law, Allyson gained a wide array of experience, both in and out of the courtroom. In 2020, Allyson joined The Derrick Law Firm and strives to use her knowledge and experience gained to help her personal injury and workers’ compensation clients in her current practice.

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  Fred Oliver

  Attorney

  Fred Oliver began his career representing insurance companies and their insureds in many different areas of litigation including personal injury, insurance coverage, premises liability, homeowners’ association disputes, and trucking litigation. He grew up in Myrtle Beach and graduated from Socastee High School. After graduating high school, he attended the University of South Carolina. To this day, he remains loyal to the Gamecocks. He received his law degree from the Charleston School of Law in 2012. Prior to joining The Derrick Law Firm, Fred spent many years working for civil defense firms. During those years, he represented many different businesses, insurance companies, trucking companies, and individuals in both state and federal courts. He also successfully argued in front of the South Carolina Court of Appeals. His litigation experience is broad, and he has obtained favorable results for clients in a wide variety of legal matters. Fred utilizes his prior experience to zealously advocate for clients at The Derrick Law Firm. He believes in helping people, working hard, and providing excellent service to clients. He understands the profound impact an injury can have on a client’s life. His practice is focused on personal injury, workers’ compensation, and catastrophic injury matters. When he is not in the office, Fred is active in the local community and is a member of Myrtle Beach First Presbyterian Church. He is a past president of the Horry County Bar Association and a proud member of the Coastal American Inn of Court.

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  AJ Holloway

  Attorney

  AJ Holloway was born and raised in the Myrtle Beach area. He attended Socastee High School where he earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma. He then went on to Clemson University and graduated magna cum laude. After Clemson, he attended the University of South Carolina School of Law where he was a member of the Moot Court Bar and involved in various community service and mentoring groups. AJ has continued to be involved in many community service activities throughout his legal career including participating in the Make-A-Wish Trailblaze Challenge. He began his legal career with the defense firm of Gallivan, White & Boyd in Columbia, SC. After several years of defending large companies, he then pursued his desire to represent plaintiffs rather than companies and joined Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman’s Columbia office. AJ’s prior experience with a defense firm provides him a unique insight into how companies approach lawsuits filed against them. AJ gained invaluable experience with these prior firms and is excited to return to Horry County to work on behalf of individuals who have been injured through no fault of their own. His areas of practice include car accidents, catastrophic injuries, and premises liability. In April 2020, AJ was confirmed by the SC Legislature as a Commissioner on the State Ethics Commission for the term of 2020 to 2025. The Ethics Commission conducts investigations in response to complaints filed against members and candidates of the General Assembly as well as those filed against elected and appointed state and local public officials. AJ has also been recognized by National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 40 under 40 Civil Plaintiffs Attorneys in SC and included in Best Lawyers’ 2020 “Ones to Watch” list. If you have been injured, AJ and the rest of The Derrick Law Firm team are ready to help.

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  Link: AJ Holloway

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  Dyllan Rankin

  Attorney

  Dyllan is passionate about helping clients navigate our complex, competitive legal system. His practice is dedicated to building the most effective and compelling evidence supporting a client’s loss and fiercely advocating for fair and just compensation. Prior to joining The Derrick Law Firm, Dyllan was the managing attorney at a Charleston-based firm where he represented individuals and businesses and tried cases in courts of various jurisdiction throughout the state. Having developed multiple practice areas, Dyllan brings over a decade of broad litigation experience that lends itself to finding creative solutions for complex problems. Over time, Dyllan has gravitated to cases where he has the opportunity to help individuals who have experienced serious loss and catastrophic injuries, primarily involving premises liability, wrongful death, automobile accidents, and general negligence. As an active member of the S.C. Bar Young Lawyers Division, Dyllan was recognized as a Star of the Quarter in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Dyllan was selected in 2017 to become a member of the South Carolina Bar Leadership Academy. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, Dyllan was selected to the list of South Carolina rising stars. Dyllan is a former adjunct professor at the Charleston School of Law where he taught Legal Research Analysis & Writing to first year law students. Dyllan is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, the South Carolina Bar Association, the South Carolina Association for Justice, and the Charleston County Bar Association. In 2017, Dyllan was appointed by Charleston County Council to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Charleston County Public Library system. During his tenure at CCPL, the library system has undertaken the construction of five new branches and the renovation of thirteen existing branches under a $108 million bond referendum with overwhelming support from the community. Dyllan also serves on the Board of Directors for Father to Father, Inc., an organization whose mission is to help fathers in the South Carolina Lowcountry be a positive and consistent presence in their children’s lives. Dyllan is also a member of the Charleston Preservation Society and the recipient of a 2020 Carolopolis Award for historic restoration, an award created in 1953 to recognize extraordinary efforts to maintain the historic character and authenticity of Charleston and the Lowcountry. Born and raised in Statesville, North Carolina, Dyllan earned his undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia and his law degree at the Charleston School of Law. Dyllan lives Charleston with his wife and two children.

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  Link: Dyllan Rankin