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The Law Offices of Smith & White, PLLC
About Derek M. Smith
Derek brings more than 15 years of criminal law experience to the Tacoma
attorney team of Smith and White. His work as a prosecutor, judge, and
defense attorney provide him valuable insight into Washington criminal
defense law.

Derek tried hundreds of criminal defense cases, including in the state Court
of Appeals and
Washington State Supreme Court, as a prosecutor with the
cities of Seattle and Kent. He’s worked on or negotiated more than 15,000
trial experience, Derek has taken more than 150 jury trials to a verdict.

Derek served as the head of the
domestic violence unit for the City of Kent
and supervised the misdemeanor unit before he left to go to Seattle.  In
Seattle he served in the
DUI and misdemeanor trial unit.  There he
prosecuted notorious strip club owner and alleged mob boss
Frank
Colacurcio for sexual assault on a waitress in his strip club and twice
convicted him.  After serving in the trial unit, Derek became the vice and
narcotics liaison for the Seattle City Attorney’s Office and received the
Seattle Police Department Chief’s Award for his role in Operation Sobering
Thought. He has also presided over thousands of cases as a judge pro tem in
Federal Way, Pacific and Des Moines.

He graduated with honors from
Seattle University School of Law in 1996.  

Derek volunteers his time to local nonprofits including serving as president
of the Tacoma Art Museum Activities Council in 2010 for the Tacoma Art
Museum’s 75th Anniversary Gala. He is the current vice president of St.
Mark’s Lutheran by the Narrows church council.

Derek is a life member of the NRA, a former PADI scuba instructor, and an
avid reader.  He publishes a very tongue in cheek blog about the law
here.
He lives in Tacoma with his family.
Contact Derek Smith
The Law Offices of Smith and White, PLLC  1019
Pacific Ave, Suite 701, Tacoma, WA 98402
Columbia Tower, 42nd Floor, 701 5th Ave., Seattle