Derek K. Burch is a firmly rooted Oklahoman, but his reputation as a trial lawyer has taken him to courts across the country. Oftentimes, his own cases take him to other jurisdictions, but frequently he is called upon by lawyers elsewhere to assist them in their own local cases.

After receiving his J.D. from the Oklahoma City University School of Law in December, 1988, Burch began his legal career with law firms that handled insurance defense and commercial cases.  In 1990 noted Oklahoma City plaintiff’s attorney Ed Abel gave Burch the opportunity to join his firm and handle personal-injury cases and Burch found what he was looking for.  Burch recruited his old law-school friend, Kelly George Oklahoma City OK, to join the Abel firm and after working there together for several years they decided to create their own firm, and formed the law firm of Burch & George in 1997.

In 2011, Kelly and Derek invited their longtime associate DeeAnn Germany Oklahoma City OK to become a named partner in the firm. Since then, the firm has operated as Burch, George & Germany, P.C. Ms. Germany has proven herself as an experienced, effective and well-respected trial lawyer.

The two founding partners made a commitment to limit the firm’s practice solely to plaintiff’s work. Most of the firm’s cases involve catastrophic injury claims and liability/wrongful death litigation; including motor-vehicle cases, some medical malpractice and insurance bad faith cases.

Burch’s own practice encompasses all of those categories and has developed an interest in product liability cases or cased where a product failure has caused serious injury or the death of a loved one. “They are very challenging,” he says. “As a trial lawyer, I enjoy all areas of our practice, and using our trial skills to help and improve the quality of life for our clients.”  To Burch, one of the facets of his work that he enjoys the most is the variety that it offers, including the opportunity to travel to other jurisdictions and work with other lawyers.  “We are constantly faced with new and different cases. I love the challenge of learning new ways to approach issues or a problem.”  “The people I represent are hurt, down and out, broke, they can’t work, or they’ve lost a loved one.  It is as rewarding as anything in our practice to bring a case to a successful conclusion and do something for my clients to make their life better. I really embrace that.”

Along the way, Burch has recorded numerous seven-figure jury verdicts, and many multi-million-dollar settlements.

Burch is licensed to practice in Oklahoma, United States Supreme Court; United States Court of Appeals for the 5th, 9th and 10th Circuits; United States District Courts for the Western, Northern and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma as well as multiple federal district courts around the country.

Meanwhile, Burch’s commitment to the public is not limited to his work as a plaintiff’s attorney. He has taken his skills as a trial lawyer and developed a reputation for his pro bono contributions in Oklahoma.

Member of Oklahoma Lawyers for Children

Most notably, he has been very active as a volunteer and is a member of the Board of Directors of Oklahoma Lawyers for Children, an organization that provides volunteer legal assistance on behalf of children in the custody of the Department of Human Services in the Juvenile Division of the Oklahoma Country District Court.  In 2010, Attorney Derek Burch received the organization’s highest honor, the Mona Lambird Service to Children award, in recognition of his work for that organization.

In 2011, he received Oklahoma City University School of Law’s Outstanding Pro Bono Alumnus of the Year award, and in 2012 the Oklahoma County Bar Foundation gave him its prestigious Howard K. Berry, Sr. Award for service to justice and the justice system.

In addition, Attorney Derek Burch has recently become a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only organization devoted to promotion and preservation of the civil justice system.

In his limited spare time, Burch enjoys spending time with his wife, five children, four grandchildren and playing golf.

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Derek Burch honored Leadership in Law award

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