Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC

What Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC does

Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC is a plaintiff-side employment and civil rights law firm founded in 1995 by Derek T. Smith, specializing in sexual harassment, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour, whistleblower, retaliation, and class action matters on behalf of individual employees. The firm operates exclusively on a contingency fee basis under a 'No Win, No Fee' structure, with free 24/7 consultations serving as the primary intake channel, and earns revenue as a percentage of settlements or verdicts recovered. The practice is delivered through eight U.S. offices spanning New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Washington DC, with California matters routed through a structurally separate entity, Derek Smith Law Group, LLP.

The firm's core service portfolio is organized around protected-class discrimination claims (race, age, gender, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, pregnancy), sexual harassment across workplace, educational, and public settings, and adjacent practice areas including rape and sexual assault representation, child sexual abuse claims (including Child Victims Act matters), student harassment, and EEOC administrative representation. There is no proprietary technology platform; the firm relies on standard case management, client communication, and legal research tools. Client acquisition is driven by content marketing, active social media presence, earned media from high-profile verdicts (CBS This Morning, NY Times), and a nationwide referral network of partner firms. The firm has cumulatively recovered over $500 million for clients, including a $16M sexual assault settlement, a $15M child sexual abuse verdict, and what is described as the largest emotional distress award ever upheld in a U.S. employment law case.

The firm is founder-owned, self-funded through operations with no venture capital or institutional investment, and has maintained 12+ consecutive years of Best Lawyers/US News & World Report recognition. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range, spanning partners, managing attorneys, and specialized former prosecutors. Ownership and jurisdictional structure (PLLC for the primary entity, LLP for California) suggest deliberate legal-risk segregation rather than a growth-driven M&A posture. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC

Legal name

Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC

Website

https://discriminationandsexualharassmentlawyers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC is a plaintiff-side employment and civil rights law firm founded in 1995, representing individual employees in sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage matters on a contingency fee basis across eight U.S. cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plaintiff-Side Employment Law Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (54111), Other Legal Services (54119)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Employment discrimination law
• Sexual harassment representation
• Wrongful termination attorney
• Wage and hour law
• Plaintiff civil rights litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Contingency Fee Legal Services: The firm operates on a contingency fee basis where clients pay nothing unless the firm wins their case. They receive a percentage of the settlement or verdict secured. This is standard for plaintiff-side employment and discrimination law firms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC is a plaintiff-side employment and civil rights law firm that represents individual employees in workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour, whistleblower, retaliation, and class action matters. The firm provides direct legal representation on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients pay no fees unless the firm secures a settlement or verdict on their behalf.

Product overview

Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC is a specialized employment and civil rights law firm offering legal services for workplace discrimination, harassment, and related matters. The firm operates as a unified legal practice with multiple office locations (New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Washington DC) providing direct legal representation services rather than a software platform. The core service portfolio includes sexual harassment legal representation, employment discrimination claims (covering protected classes such as race, age, gender, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, pregnancy), wrongful termination, wage and hour disputes (including unpaid overtime and tip violations), whistleblower protection, class action litigation, and leave/accommodation matters. Additional practice areas include rape and sexual assault victim representation, child sexual abuse cases, student harassment, and EEOC administrative representation. The firm operates on a contingency fee basis ('No Win, No Fee') and emphasizes free initial consultations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sexual Harassment Legal Services Legal representation for victims of sexual harassment in workplace, public spaces, and educational settings, including hostile work environment claims, quid pro quo cases, and harassment by supervisors, coworkers, or non-employees.
• Employment Discrimination Legal Services Legal representation for discrimination based on protected classes including race, age, gender, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and genetic information.
• Wrongful Termination Legal Services Legal representation for employees who have been unlawfully terminated based on discrimination, retaliation, or other illegal reasons.
• Wage and Hour Legal Services Legal representation for unpaid wages, unpaid overtime, tip pooling violations, and wage inequality based on gender under the Equal Pay Act.
• Whistleblower Legal Services Legal representation for employees who report illegal employer activities and face retaliation as a result.
• Class Action Litigation Group legal representation for multiple employees facing similar workplace violations and discrimination.
• Leave and Accommodation Services Legal representation for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) violations, reasonable workplace accommodations, religious accommodations, and disability accommodations.
• Retaliation Legal Services Legal representation for employees who face workplace retaliation after reporting discrimination, harassment, or illegal activities.
• Rape and Sexual Assault Legal Services Legal representation for victims of rape and sexual assault, including cases in workplace, educational, and public settings.
• Child Sexual Abuse Legal Services Legal representation for victims of child sexual abuse, including clergy sex abuse cases and claims under the Child Victims Act.
• Student Sexual Harassment Legal Services Legal representation for students facing sexual harassment in educational institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $500 Million recovered in settlements and verdicts for clients
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA)minorOthersAccreditation and membership in NELA, demonstrating commitment to plaintiff-side employment law advocacy.
• American Association for JusticeminorOthersMembership in AAJ, supporting access to justice for victims of civil injustice.
• State Bar Associations (NY, NJ, FL, PA)minorOthersAttorney licensing and good standing with state bar associations in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Pennsylvania where they are authorized to practice law.
• Referral Network of Law Firms NationwideminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe firm may refer prospective clients to other law firms located throughout the country who form relationships with DSLG and are experienced in handling such cases. DSLG may also affiliate with other legal counsel located throughout the country to provide legal representation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wigdor LLP: NYC-based plaintiff-side employment and civil rights law firm representing victims of workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and wage violations. Highly comparable in practice area, contingency model, target clientele, and high-profile case approach.
• Phillips & Associates PLLC: NYC employment discrimination and sexual harassment firm with contingency-fee model. Direct competitor for plaintiff-side employment matters in the same NY/NJ metro market as Derek Smith Law Group.
• Sanford Heisler Sharp LLP: National plaintiff-side employment, civil rights, and class action firm with offices in NY, DC, and other major metros. Comparable in targeting high-value employment discrimination, harassment, and wage cases via contingency representation.
• Outten & Golden LLP: Plaintiff-side employment law firm exclusively representing employees in discrimination, harassment, and wage matters. Direct competitor in the NYC employment bar with similar contingency model and practice focus.
• Levy Konigsberg LLP: Plaintiff-side firm with strong employment discrimination and civil rights practice, plus mass tort work. Comparable in contingency-based representation of employee victims and overlapping practice area in sexual abuse and workplace claims.
• HKM Employment Attorneys LLP: Plaintiff employment law firm focused on representing employees in discrimination, harassment, and wage matters. Closely aligned business model (contingency, employee-only representation) and overlapping client base with DSLG.

Emerging players

• Joseph A. Habba & Associates: Plaintiff-side employment and civil rights firm with similar focus on workplace discrimination and sexual harassment matters. Smaller in scale and geographic reach than DSLG, but overlapping in client segment and case type.
• Nisar Law Group: Plaintiff-side employment law firm handling discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation cases. Comparable in contingency-fee model and employee-victim focus, with a smaller geographic footprint than DSLG.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dereksmithlaw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@dereksmithlawgrouppllc
• Facebookfacebook.com/new.york.city.employment.lawyer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/derek-smith-law-group-pllc
• Instagraminstagram.com/dereksmithlawgroup_
• Pinterestpinterest.com/derektsmithlawgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC