Derrick M. Thompson, Jr.

Derrick is a business litigator who helps companies resolve complex disputes. He is a member of Taft’s Litigation, Intellectual Property, and Sports Law practice groups and a member of the Federal Trial Bar. Derrick focuses his practice on commercial matters, including contract and licensing disputes, business break‑ups, trademark and brand disputes, trade secret claims, and sports and entertainment matters.

Derrick serves as outside litigation counsel to financial institutions, media and entertainment companies, and middle‑market businesses navigating commercial disputes. He acts as both trial lawyer and strategist, aligning legal guidance with client’s business operations, culture, and long-term goals and objectives. Clients rely on him for clear strategy and disciplined execution in complex disputes, where he distills complicated facts into the issues that will decide the outcome.

Derrick serves as Special Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago in complex civil litigation and class actions. He also represents private wealth clients in business and fiduciary disputes, including matters involving governance, fiduciary duty, and contested wealth transfer structures.

Representative matters

• Lead trial counsel for a Fortune 50 company in disputes involving compliance with municipal codes and regulations, helping the client protect critical operations in a major U.S. market.
• Regular outside litigation counsel to a national bank in contentious negotiations and related disputes involving complex credit facilities and lending relationships.
• Lead counsel for a middle‑market company asserting trademark, trade secret, and cybersquatting claims against a competitor, aligning litigation strategy with the client’s broader brand‑protection objectives.
• Counsel to a major record label in a federal action concerning a music composition and license agreement, addressing both contract rights and the value of the underlying creative work.
• Regular representation of a national music and comedy promoter in licensing and contract disputes, and ongoing advice on trademark strategy and brand management.
• Member of Taft team representing multiple companies, including Fortune 500 companies, in trademark infringement and unfair‑competition matters involving core consumer‑facing brands.

Trials and Class Actions

• Served as lead trial counsel and secured a defense win for a major media outlet in a class action involving contractual and discrimination claims.
• Represented more than 100 direct lenders and a bankruptcy receiver at trial in a dispute involving mortgages, security instruments, mechanics liens, and a contested $25 million lien, obtaining a favorable construction of the loan documents at trial and on appeal.
• Lead counsel for London‑ and Australia‑based companies in multi‑forum litigation involving commercial contract and financial services disputes related to a $20 million claim.

Government, Schools, and Fiduciary Matters

• Defended a large school district in multiple lawsuits alleging negligence and other tort claims arising from student and campus incidents.
• Serve as Special Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago in a range of civil cases, including matters alleging due process violations.
• Represented beneficiaries in a high‑value trust dispute arising from a trustee’s failure to file tax returns, obtaining a seven‑figure resolution, trustee removal, and favorable IRS rulings.

• Speaker, “Brand Protection in the World of Sports,” 20th Annual National Paralegal Summit, American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc., May 13, 2025.
• Moderator, “Inside the League: Key Legal Issues Shaping the Future of Pro Sports,” ISBA Sports & Entertainment Law Section, Feb. 5, 2025.
• Panelist, “Keeping Pace: A Discussion on Minority Underrepresentation in the Legal Profession, the Challenges These Attorneys Face and the Work to be Done,” Race and the Law Symposium, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Feb. 2, 2023.
• Co-panelist, “A Candid Conversation,” Black Law Student Association, DePaul University, Feb. 16, 2022
• Guest Speaker, “Tulane Sports Law Society Speaker Event,” Tulane University, Jan. 26, 2022
• Guest Speaker, Diversity and Inclusion: A Social and Professional Responsibility Course at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, Sept. 2021