Derek M. Newberry

Derek M. Newberry is a partner in Hall Booth Smith’s Charleston office, with a practice encompassing the full spectrum of construction defect, professional malpractice, product defect, personal injury, wrongful death and property damage litigation.

Before joining Hall Booth Smith in 2016, Derek practiced for seven years with a South Carolina litigation firm and was the lead full-time lawyer in its Charleston office.

Derek is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell in recognition of his legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards. He is actively involved in the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association, and serves as the President of its young lawyers division. Derek also completed a comprehensive, year-long leadership program by the Charleston Chamber of Commerce.

Derek earned a Juris Doctorate from the Charleston School of Law, where he received the CALI Award for excellence in Legal Research and Writing. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at Wofford College, where he was a scholarship member of Wofford’s football team, a two-year starter at outside linebacker, an Academic All-American Nominee and a four-time Academic All Southern Conference performer.

Born near St. Louis, Missouri, Derek still claims it as his hometown even after moving around to Colorado, Louisiana and Texas during his early years.

Derek lives in Charleston with his wife, Erin, and three young sons. In his free time, Derek enjoys surfing, live music and watching or attending sporting events of all kinds.

EXPERIENCE

Derek’s experience includes:

•Architects, engineers and contractors in design and construction defect litigation;
•Product manufacturers in product defect litigation, including serving as South Carolina litigation counsel for an international exterior cladding manufacturer;
•Medical professionals in malpractice litigation;
•Businesses of various sizes in serious personal injury litigation; and
•Transportation companies in incidents involving personal injury and property damage.

Recognitions

AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Presentations

•“Hot Topics in Construction Law: Why the Economic Loss Rule is Alive for Residential Construction Product Manufacturers,” Annual Meeting of the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association, November 2014.
•“Hot Button Legal Issues for South Carolina Design Professionals,” ACEC-SC/SCSPE Winter Meeting in Columbia, South Carolina, February 2015.

In The News

Hall Booth Smith Creates Vaping/E-Cigarette Specialty Practice Group

January 29, 2020
In response to the rise in vaping lawsuits for alleged product liability and injury in the fast-growing but loosely regulated marketplace, Hall Booth Smith, P.C.

Hall Booth Smith Names New Partners in Atlanta, Birmingham, Brunswick, Charleston and Columbus

July 18, 2018
ATLANTA - Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is pleased to announce that it has named eight new partners at its offices across the Southeast, bringing the total