Derek H. Potts
Derek H. Potts is an American trial lawyer and founding partner of Potts Law Firm based in Houston, Texas. Potts specializes in litigation involving high profile tort cases, including transvaginal mesh litigation, which is considered the largest medical device litigation in history.[1] This included the formation of the Mesh Litigation Center in Houston, Texas.[2] More recently, Potts is leading litigation due to damage inflicted as a result of Hurricane Harvey in Texas. This included being appointed Co-Lead Counsel of the Downstream Claims by the United States Court of Federal Claims.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
Education
After graduating from Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, Potts attended William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri; Potts then attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Law, completing his JD in 1996.
Legal Career
Before graduating law school, Potts received a certificate from the Kansas Supreme Court which allowed him to prosecute cases in Court as an intern in the Wyandotte County Kansas District Attorney's Office. As an intern, he helped prosecute Kansas City Kansas Police Officer John Creek for the murder of security guard Milton Foster. John Creek was convicted in his first trial in which Potts participated as the second chair prosecutor of 1st Degree Murder.[15]
After graduating from law school, Potts was an associate attorney in the Kansas City office in Brown and James, PC, an insurance and corporate defense firm. Potts defended a variety of insurance and personal injury cases. Potts also worked for Dr. Samuel K. Cullan and Associates in 1999-2000 handling complex plaintiffs' personal injury cases.
In 2001, Potts founded Potts Law Firm in Kansas City, Missouri which later expanded to be based in Houston, Texas and having 20 attorneys based in Houston, Kansas City, and Orlando.
Potts has been involved in landmark jury trials and settlements. These include Millard vs. Bard, M.D. which was a $12.1 million medical malpractice verdict in the United States District Court of Kansas,[16] Sgroi vs. Bichalho, an $895,000 medical malpractice verdict that was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Missouri,[17] and Novogradac vs. Shirshekan,[18] and Wilburn case $3.5 million.[19]
He has also been routinely appointed by federal courts to represent plaintiffs in mass tort action litigation. This has included being a member of the Plaintiffs Steering Committee in the Kugel Mesh Multi-District Litigation and trial Co-Counsel in the first Kugel Mesh case tried to verdict resulting in a finding that the medical device was negligently designed.[20]
He was appointed by the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia as Plaintiffs' Liaison Counsel and Co-Lead Counsel in the OB Tape MDL. He was appointed by the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia as Co-Lead of the CR Bard MDL and a member of the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee.[21] Potts has been involved in $1.6 billion in settlements related to transvaginal mesh products.[22]
Potts has also led the effort to file a class action on behalf of Texas residents flooded by the controlled release of water from Lake Conroe during the storm.[23] [24] [25] [26] [27]
He was also involved in the General Motors Ignition Switch litigation, obtaining a victory from the Supreme Court of Missouri,[28] and then successfully resolved hundreds of cases.[29] [30][31]
Potts has also been involved in litigation on behalf of a person injured in the Whitehall Hotel explosion.[32] [33] [34]
In February 2018, The Potts Law firm represented former TCU wide-receiver, Kolby Listenbee, in his lawsuit against TCU.[35]
Honors
Potts has earned top awards form organizations including The Thomas J. Conway Award,[36] Missouri Lawyers Weekly's Up and Coming Lawyers Under 40,[37] Best Lawyers, Thomson Reuters' Super Lawyers, and The American Society of Legal Advocates.
Personal Life
Potts has two children, Drake Potts and Mallory Potts. Drake is an actor and hunting enthusiast.[38] [39]
Potts is Chairman of the Potts Family Foundation which is heavily involved with multiple charitable foundations including MJ&M,[40] and Promise for Haiti.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Pelvic Mesh Defect Litigation on the Rise". Missouri Lawyers Weekly. 2011-12-03.
- ↑ "Kansas City's Potts Law Firm and Houston's Burnett Law Firm Establish 'Nerve Center' for Transvaginal Mesh". SCRIBD. Retrieved 2011. Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "In Harvey's Wake, a Rush to the Courthouse". The Wall Street Journal. 2017-10-23.
- ↑ "Lead Counsel Appointed in Hurricane Harvey Flood Suits". Law360. Retrieved 2017-10-23.
- ↑ "Houston after Harvey: City Faces Huge Hurdle to Recovery". The Guardian. 2017-09-25.
- ↑ "What You Need to Know about the Lawsuit Hearing on the Addicks, Barker Reservoir Release". KPRC Channel 2. 2017-10-06.
- ↑ "Couple Demands Money for Flooded Home after Harvey-related Reservoir Releases". KTRK Channel 13 ABC Eyewitness News. 2017-09-07.
- ↑ "What;s Next for Houston Flood Lawsuits Post-Harvey". The Houston Business Journal. 2017-09-15.
- ↑ "Lead Attorney Appointed in Hurricane Harvey Flood Litigation". Houston Chronicle. 2017-11-22.
- ↑ "Multiple Law Firms Named to Consolidated Harvey Flood Cases". The Houston Business Journal. 2017-11-21.
- ↑ "Army Corps Suit". NPR. 2017-09-17.
- ↑ "Flood Victims Hit Houston, Harris County with Action". Law360. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
- ↑ "Class Action: Houston Owes Property Owners for Reservoir Release Flooding". Top Class Action. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
- ↑ "Judge Vows Swift Justice in Lawsuits over Release from Addicks, Barker". Houston Chronicle. 2017-10-07.
- ↑ "Conviction of Former Policeman Upheld". The Associated Press. 1999-12-19.
- ↑ "One of the Largest Kansas Medical Malpractice Verdicts". Medical Malpractice Lawyers. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
- ↑ "Interview Not Prejudicial to Defendants, Court Says". Missouri Lawyers Weekly. 2009-11-18.
- ↑ "Top Plaintiffs Verdicts of 2007". Missouri Lawyers Weekly. 2008-01-02.
- ↑ "KC Lawyers Gets $3.5M in Med-Mal Case". Missouri Lawyers Weekly. 2002-03-11.
- ↑ "Attorney Wins Verdicts (and Loses One) for Kugel Mesh Plaintiffs". Lawyers and Settlements. Retrieved 2011-09+-09. Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Lead Counsel Chosen in Transvaginal Mesh Case". Mesh News Desk. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
- ↑ "Endo Reaches Deal to End Remaining U.S. Lawsuits over Mesh". Reuters. 2014-09-30.
- ↑ "Harris County San Jacinto Flood Victims File Lawsuit". CW39. 2017-09-08.
- ↑ "Three Lawsuits Filed Over Harvey Flooding Reservoirs". Houston Chronicle. 2017-09-05.
- ↑ "Harvey Storm-Water Releases were Unlawful Government Takings: Lawsuits". Reuters. 2017-09-13.
- ↑ "Was Releasing Water from the Addicks and Barker Reservoir the Right Call". Houston Public Media. 2017-09-12.
- ↑ "Lake Conroe Dam's Releases Cause Flood of Lawsuits". Houston Chronicle. 2017.
- ↑ "Missouri Supreme Court Affirms City of St.Louis Venue for GM Ignition Switch Cases". CISION. Retrieved 2016-01-27.
- ↑ "GM Has Settled More Ignition Switch Cases". The Jere Beasley Report. 2017-07-13.
- ↑ "GM Settles Ignition Switch Lawsuit Before California Trial". Thomson Reuters Westlaw. 2017-05-09.
- ↑ "For GM in Deadly-Defect Cases, It;s One Down, Hundred to Go". Bloomberg. 2016-01-22.
- ↑ "Lawsuit Filed in Death from Whitehall Explosion". Houston Chronicle. 2017-11-17.
- ↑ "Familia de Empleado que Murio en Explosion en un Hotel de Houston Demanda a la Comapnia". Univision. 2017-11-17.
- ↑ "Family of Man Who Died in Whitehall Explosion Sue for Negligence". Houston Chronicle. 2017-11-17.
- ↑ "Kolby Listenbee VS. Texas Christian University".
- ↑ "Interview with Attorney Derek Potts". News 24 Hours. 2009-01-03.
- ↑ "Up and Coming Lawyers Made Their Mark Early". Missouri Lawyers Weekly. 2002-10-28.
- ↑ "The Take Down Season 1, Episode 11 - New Zealand". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
- ↑ "Conversations with Actor Matthew McConaughey". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
- ↑ "MJ&M 2016 - Empower Kids through Health,Wellness, and Education". Splash Magazine. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
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