Derek Potts
Firm Founder Managing Partner
Mr. Potts is nationally known for his leadership of mass litigations involving environmental disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Freeze and Hurricane Ida.
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America
- Super Lawyers®
- AV-Preeminent Rated
BIOGRAPHY
Derek H. Potts is a nationally recognized trial attorney and the Founder and Managing Partner of The Potts Law Firm.
With a career spanning more than two decades, he has led some of the most high-impact mass tort, class action, and complex litigation cases across the country.
Known for his strategic leadership and commitment to justice, Mr. Potts has earned a reputation as a trusted advocate for individuals, families, and communities affected by large-scale corporate negligence and catastrophic events.
Throughout his career, Mr. Potts has been lead counsel in jury trials representing catastrophically injured clients. Examples of some of his jury verdicts include the $3.0 million verdict in Novogradac vs. Shirshekan, a nursing home negligence case tried in Platte County Missouri Circuit Court which was appealed and sustained by the Missouri Supreme Court and Millard v. Gard, M.D. a medical malpractice case tried in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas which resulted in a $12.1 million verdict for a minor injured due to medical malpractice.
Mr. Potts began pursuing cases for women injured by transvaginal mesh products in 2009. He was one of a handful of plaintiffs’ lawyers from around the country who spearheaded the establishment of what would become the largest medical device MDL consolidation in history.
He would be appointed by the Judge overseeing the litigation as one of 8 members of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Executive Committee and Plaintiffs’ Co Lead Counsel of 3 transvaginal mesh MDLs. He and his partners in the litigation would ultimately resolve over $1,000,000,000 in transvaginal mesh settlements. Mr. Potts has also been involved in numerous mass pharmaceutical litigations including being appointed the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel of the Los Angeles Country Superior Court’s consolidation related to the drug, Xarelto.
Mr. Potts has also been involved in multiple class actions including being class counsel for the states of New York, New Jersey, and Arkansas in the In Re ATT Mobility MDL which resulted in over $1,000,000,000 in settlements nationwide relating to the improper charging of sales tax. Mr. Potts also spearheaded a series of state court consolidations against General Motors related to its ignition switch auto defect in certain model cars.
Mr. Potts successfully resolved thousands of personal injury and wrongful death cases with General Motors through his state court consolidations. After Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in August 2017, Mr. Potts spearheaded litigation against the United States Army Corp of Engineers related to its intentional release of water during the storm which flooded tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the City. Mr. Potts was appointed as Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel by the United States Court of Claims to lead the prosecution of the case.
In 2020, Mr. Potts spearheaded the formation of the In Re Generali Travel Insurance MDL and was appointed Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel to represent the thousands of individuals who were improperly denied their travel insurance benefits as a result of Covid-19 related travel restrictions. In 2021, Mr. Potts filed a $1 Billion Class Action against the electricity retailer Griddy related to its overcharging of Texas customers during Winter Storm Uri.
Credentials & Recognition





RESULTS
- $12.1 Million Verdict – Medical malpractice (U.S. District Court, Kansas)
- $3 Million Verdict – Nursing home negligence (Missouri)
- $1 Billion+ in Settlements – Transvaginal mesh MDLs
- $1 Billion Class Action Filed – Against Griddy after Winter Storm Uri
- Astroworld Litigation – Successfully negotiated settlements (2023)
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Kansas Trial Lawyers Association changed to Kansas Association for Justice, 2000-Present
– Board of Governors, 2009-2014 -
Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, 2001-Present
– Board of Governors - COVID-19 Travel Insurance MDL – Secured relief for thousands
- Hurricane Harvey Litigation – Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel
HONORS & AWARDS
Starting in law school, Mr. Potts has been routinely recognized for his achievements inside and outside of the courtroom.
- The Best Lawyers in America©, 2012-2025
- Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2021
- Attorney and Practice Magazine’s Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney, 2021
- National Law Journal 2021 Plaintiff’s Trailblazer, 2021
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2020, 2022
- The Best Lawyers in America© (a Woodward White, Inc. service), Best Lawyers®, 2012-2014, 2016- 2017, 2019-2020
- Super Lawyers® Texas (a Thomson Reuters service), 2016-2020
- AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell, 2006-2020
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, 2011-2014, 2019-2020
- The American Society of Legal Advocates Award
- Best of the Bar, American Lawyer Media
- Best of the Bar, Kansas City Business Journal, 2005, 2007, 2009-2011
- Super Lawyers® Missouri & Kansas (a Thomson Reuters service), 2008-2014, 2016
- Super Lawyers® Top 100 Missouri & Kansas (a Thomson Reuters service), 2011
- Super Lawyers® Top 50 Kansas City (a Thomson Reuters service), 2011
- Thomas J. Conway Young Trial Lawyers’ Award, Kansas City Missouri Bar Association, 2008
- Top Rated Lawyer in Mass Torts, Martindale-Hubbell, 2013
- Up and Coming Lawyers Under 40, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2002
MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS
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American Association For Justice (AAJ/ATLA), 1995-Present
– Board of Governors for New Lawyers, 2001-2004
– Alloderm Litigation Group/ Co-Chair
– Nursing Home Litigation Group
– Kugel Mesh Litigation Group
– Transvaginal Mesh Litigation Group
- Arkansas State Bar
- Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association 2008 – present
- Houston Trial Lawyers Association
- Kansas State Bar
-
Kansas Trial Lawyers Association changed to Kansas Association for Justice, 2000-Present
– Board of Governors, 2009-2014 -
Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, 2001-Present
– Board of Governors - Missouri Bar Professionalism Committee
- Missouri State Bar
- New York State Bar
- Sports Lawyers Association
- Texas State Bar
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- UMKC School of Law’s Litigation Advisory Committee, 2008- Present
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Arkansas
- Missouri
- Texas
- Kansas
- New York
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Arkansas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. District Court District of Kansas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court Western District of Arkansas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
COURT APPOINTMENTS
- 2021 – Appointed Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Class Counsel for the In Re: Generali Covid-19 Travel Insurance Litigation, MDL 2968, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge John G. Koeltl
- 2017 – Appointed Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Class Counsel for the Hurricane Harvey Litigation, In re Downstream Addicks and Barker (Texas) Flood Control Reservoirs, Cause No. 17-9001, United States Court of Claims, Chief Judge Susan Braden
- 2017 – Appointed Plaintiffs Liaison Counsel, Xarelto JCCP, Los Angeles California Superior Court, Judge Kenneth R. Freeman
- 2016 – Appointed Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Counsel for the In Re Neomedic Pelvic Repair Systems Product Liability Litigation, MDL 2511, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Judge Joseph Robert Goodwin
- 2014 – Appointed Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Counsel for the In Re C.R. Bard, Inc. Pelvic Repair Systems Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2187, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Judge Joseph Robert Goodwin
- 2014 – Appointed Plaintiffs’Executive Committee for the consolidated Pelvic Mesh Litigation, including In Re C.R. Bard, Inc., Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 2187; In Re American Medical Systems, Inc., Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 2325; In Re Boston Scientific Corp., Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 2326; In Re Ethicon, Inc., Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 2327; In Re Coloplast Corp., Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 2387; In Re Cook Medical Inc., Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 2440; and In Re Neomedic Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 2511
- 2013 – Appointed Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel and Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Counsel for the In Re Mentor Corp. Obtape Transobturator Sling Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2004, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Judge Clay D. Land
- 2011 – Appointed Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the In Re Kugel Mesh Hernia Patch Products Liability Litigation, MDL 1842, United States District Court for Rhode Island, Judge Mary Lisi

