About Derek L.
Derek L. Towster entered the legal field after completing a liberal arts education and three years of law school. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, graduating in 2010. He went on to take his legal training at the University of Illinois College of Law, where he received his J.D. in 2013.
Those academic credentials led to admission to practice in Ohio and to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Being licensed in both the state and the federal forum allows him to represent clients in matters that arise under Ohio law as well as in cases filed in federal court in the region.
Towster’s career since law school has involved the practical demands of courtroom procedure, client counseling, and legal research. He works on matters that require filings, pleadings and appearances in trial and motion settings. He also spends time preparing legal memoranda and advising individuals and organizations on the procedural aspects of their cases. His training at Illinois College of Law, combined with an undergraduate grounding in psychology, informs how he approaches fact development and witness preparation.
Colleagues describe his courtroom manner as steady. He tends to favor clear, direct argument over rhetorical flourish. That approach can be useful in both state and federal venues, where judges and opposing counsel expect concise presentation of the legal and factual issues.
Outside the courtroom, Towster has been involved in the everyday tasks that sustain a legal practice: drafting contracts and agreements, negotiating settlements where appropriate, and managing discovery demands. Those tasks require attention to detail and consistent communication with clients. He applies that same methodical attention when preparing filings for the Southern District of Ohio, where local rules and federal procedure intersect.
He has kept his practice rooted in Ohio, taking cases that arise within the state and federal systems that serve it. His education and admissions position him to handle litigation and transactional matters that require familiarity with Ohio law and federal practice. He currently practices in Ohio and appears before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
