Managing Partner Derek Sells began his legal career at the prestigious Washington, D.C. law firm of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering and continued on to the Washington, D.C. Defender Service as a Senior Trial Attorney. In 1995 Derek joined what is today known as The Cochran Firm. He successfully represented, as co-lead counsel with firm founder Johnny Cochran, a diverse list of clients covering a wide variety of legal matters. In 2002 Derek was selected as Managing Partner of The Cochran Firm and since then he has amassed an extraordinary record of million dollar verdicts and settlements, exceeding over $300 million to date. Derek is a graduate of Dartmouth College (Class of 1985) and Yale Law School (Class of 1988). In addition to his leadership role at The Cochran Firm he has taught trial advocacy at various seminars, including those sponsored by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association and Harvard Law School. He is a member of the New York and Washington, D.C. bars. Derek resides in Queens, New York with his wife and two sons.
