Derek Pershing has been assisting clients with real estate transactions at Wilson Cribbs + Goren since 2013. Like many other attorneys at the firm, Derek has had a lifetime connection to real estate. “Real estate is an asset class where real fortunes can be made if you understand the ins and outs — and lost if you do not,” he says. “I grew up in a modest military family and it has long been my desire to learn everything I could about real estate to create new opportunity.”

Derek has made that desire a reality. He received three board certifications from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization: in Commercial Real Estate Law, Residential Real Estate Law, and Farm and Ranch Real Estate Law. He is one of only 42 attorneys currently practicing law in Texas and holding all three designations, as well as the youngest with this distinction.  Derek is also an Adjunct Professor at South Texas College of Law Houston where he teaches a Real Estate Transactional Skills Course.

Derek primarily assists clients with transactional matters covering the development, acquisition and disposition of all types and classes of property. “I enjoy the complexity of real estate transactions and finding creative ways to effectuate change to the built environment. I also appreciate the challenge and ability to assist our clients to grow their businesses,” he says.

Derek understands the costs associated with hiring an attorney with a focused practice and he adds value for his clients in many ways. He counsels his clients on how to avoid unanticipated expenses, receive better returns on their investment, and identify and quantify the risks in their transactions. He sees himself as a member of his client’s team, saving time and money in a negotiation, evaluating and communicating the risks, and strengthening the client’s leverage and bargaining position. 

Derek obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance, summa cum laude, and a Master of Business Administration in finance from the University of St. Thomas in 2010, which awarded him both degrees in three years under what is usually a five-year program. After business school, Derek performed commercial real estate appraisals before going on to earn his Doctor of Jurisprudence, cum laude, from the South Texas College of Law Houston, which also awarded him a Transactional Law Practice Certificate in real estate.

Derek was a highly decorated Combat Medic in the U.S. Army from 2002-2006, where he attended Army Airborne School, Army Air Assault School, obtained a Private Pilot License by the FAA, and deployed to Afghanistan for over a year to provide emergency care to fellow Soldiers, Afghan children and Afghan elders.

Derek says the key to properly representing a client is being able to provide clear communication under pressure. “I want our clients to understand my role — where I can bring value and where I cannot. I strive to make sure our clients have as much information as necessary to make an informed decision.” 

He warns that as real estate transactions become increasingly complex, clients will need more assistance with navigating through complicated contracts, negotiating for their positions and identifying risks, which will make clear communication and legal representation needed now more than ever.