Derek C. Smith is a partner in Steptoe’s Chicago office and focuses his practice in the areas of complex litigation, product liability and mass tort litigation. Through his keen understanding of the fields of toxicology, epidemiology, occupational medicine and industrial hygiene, Mr. Smith has spent most of his career defending chemical and pharmaceutical companies against personal injury claims that often involve the development of potential life-threatening diseases.

Mr. Smith is also known for the management, coordination and oversight his clients’ multifaceted national litigation strategies, and has used this experience to successfully defend his clients throughout various federal and state courts of the United States. With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake in some of these matters, as well as the client’s reputation and viability, Mr. Smith brings to each case an in-depth understanding of the business, the science, and the law in order to create the most effective strategy for his client’s business objectives.