About Derek T.
Derek T. Howard built a legal path that began in Michigan classrooms and has stayed rooted in Michigan courts. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan–Flint, earning a B.A. in political science in 2002. He then earned his J.D. from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2006.
Early in his career he moved quickly into court-side work. In 2007 he served as a judicial staff lawyer for the Oakland County Circuit Court. That role gave him practical exposure to trial procedure and the daily rhythms of a busy trial court. The same year he returned to his alma mater as an adjunct professor at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, teaching law students while continuing to develop his courtroom practice.
Howard shifted into private practice and entrepreneurship more than a decade into his career. He formed The Howard Law Office, PLC, in 2019 and operated the firm as its owner. The practice provided him an opportunity to run a small firm while handling matters in both state and federal settings. In 2023 he joined Doerr MacWilliams Howard PLLC as a partner, bringing his litigation experience into a multi-attorney environment.
He is admitted to practice in Michigan and in the federal courts for the Eastern District of Michigan and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. That combination of state and federal admissions has shaped the kinds of matters he handles and the courts in which he appears. He also maintains professional ties in the local legal community; he has been a member of the Oakland County Bar Association since 2019.
Colleagues describe him as a lawyer who balances courtroom work with practice management. He has experience drafting pleadings, arguing motions, and handling hearings at the trial-court level. He also brings experience from his time on the judge’s staff and in the classroom, which informs how he prepares cases and mentors younger lawyers.
Today Howard practices from Doerr MacWilliams Howard PLLC. He represents clients in matters that require work in both state and federal courts, and his practice concentrates on litigation in those forums.
