About Derek O.
Derek O. Fairchilds earned his law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2005 after completing a bachelor’s degree in communications at James Madison University in 2002. His undergraduate studies included a minor in business. Those academic years set the groundwork for a career that has moved between courtroom work and in-house legal roles.
He began practicing law shortly after graduation. In 2005 he worked as a trial lawyer at the Law Offices of Gary Green. That early courtroom exposure led to a litigation associate position in 2008 at Allen Kopet & Associates, where he continued to handle contested matters. In 2010 he moved into an in-house role as general counsel for Sports Floors, Inc., before returning to trial work in 2011 at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz Personal Injury Lawyers.
Fairchilds is licensed to practice in both Tennessee and Mississippi. He maintains memberships in several professional organizations, including the Memphis Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Those memberships reflect ongoing engagement with the legal community and access to professional resources that support litigation practice.
Across his roles, Fairchilds has accumulated trial experience spanning different settings. His resume shows a pattern of courtroom work interrupted briefly by a corporate counsel post. That mix gave him exposure to both plaintiff-side litigation and the practical legal concerns that arise inside a business. Colleagues describe him as a lawyer who moves between the demands of trials and the paperwork of corporate compliance without losing sight of practical outcomes for clients.
Clients and fellow lawyers see a practitioner grounded in trial procedure and litigation strategy. He has handled cases through the stages typical of contested civil matters, from initial pleadings to courtroom presentation. His time at a plaintiff-focused personal injury firm since 2011 has involved him in the day-to-day work of investigating claims, preparing for depositions and representing injured parties in court.
He is based in Memphis and practices alongside other trial attorneys at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz Personal Injury Lawyers. He continues to work in litigation in Tennessee and Mississippi, handling personal injury matters and related courtroom work. His present practice is concentrated on personal injury litigation.
