Atty. Derrick L. Williams
Former Commissioner Derrick L. Williams is one of the youngest-ever to be appointed to the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Profile Summary
About Derrick L. Williams at a glance
Derrick L. Williams is a workers comp attorney based in Columbia, South Carolina, practicing at Williams & Roche LLC. Educated at The University of South Carolina School of Law (J.D., 2002). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants (2026) and Lawyer of the Year — Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants, Columbia (SC) (2024). Serands clients in Columbia, SC and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Former Commissioner Derrick L. Williams is one of the youngest-ever to be appointed to the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission
- He was appointed in March 2007, and he served until January 31, 2013, when he decided to return to private practice
- He is responsible for spear-heading the effort to make mediation of workers’ compensation available for complex injury by accident cases in South Carolina
- Prior to joining the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission, he was an associate at a national law firm based in South Carolina
- He practiced in the areas of business litigation, franchise and distribution litigation, and labor and employment
- He began his legal career at a mid-size insurance defense firm, where his litigation background included defending workers’ compensation claims for insurance companies, and insurance defense litigation
- As a founding partner with Williams & Roche, Derrick’s practice is devoted to representing injured workers and serving as a mediator for all civil litigation matters
- Derrick is a member of the National Academy Distinguished Neutrals
- Derrick earned a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2002, where he was a member of the South Carolina Environmental Law Journal
- He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in the Honors Program at the College of Charleston in 1999
- He ran Cross Country and Track for the College of Charleston, and he was the team captain of both his senior season
- Born in Florence, South Carolina he and his family moved later to Columbia, South Carolina, where he graduated from Dreher High School
- He is the Past President of the Riverbanks Zoo Society Board
- He is the first black President of the College of Charleston Alumni Association (now the Immediate Past President) and also serves on the College of Charleston Honors College Advisory Board and the College of Charleston English Department Alumni Advisory Board
- He has previously been a member in the American Bar Association, where he was involved in the T.I.P.S
- Workers’ Compensation Section
- He is a member of the John Belton O’Neall American Inn of Court
- Derrick also previously served on the South Carolina Board of Law Examiners
- He serves on the Executive Committee for the Richland County Bar Association
- He also serves on the Central Carolina Community Foundation Board, where he is the Secretary/Treasurer
Practice Areas Explained
Derrick L. Williams's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Derrick L. Williams handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Workers compensation lawyers help injured workers get medical care, lost wages, and disability benefits. Free consult, no fee unless you win.
Derrick L. Williams is one of 55,389 workers comp attorneys indexed nationally. Browse workers comp attorneys in South Carolina →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in South Carolina
Practicing law in South Carolina. Legal matters in South Carolina are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Columbia are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate South Carolina state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in South Carolina brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in South Carolina courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional South Carolina attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Columbia or all attorneys in South Carolina.
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