The Law Office of Derrick J. Hensley

Derrick practices law primarily in Durham, NC, where he has resided since 2002. He attended Duke University as an undergrad, majoring in Philosophy and History. Derrick taught ESL and worked as a window washer before deciding to attend law school. While at law school, he was on a law journal and participated in internships with local governments, performing a wide variety of legal work. In 2011 Derrick graduated as valedictorian of the Evening Program, a four-year course of study at the North Carolina Central University School of Law. Upon being licensed to practice law in North Carolina, he immediately opened his law practice to serve the Triangle area.

Because Derrick believes that giving back to the community is his most important calling, he has volunteered his time and energy in a wide variety of ways. Besides being a loyal donor of platelets and blood plasma at the American Red Cross, volunteering with The Doughman, and serving on his neighborhood's Architectural Review Board, he spends time supporting a wide variety of Pro Bono, community service, and legal education projects, including the following:

NC Immigrant Rights Project
Guardian ad Litem Program (both as a Volunteer GAL and as an Appellate Advocate)
Wills for Heroes, a project of the Young Lawyers' Division of the NC Bar Association
Call 4ALL & 4ALL Service Day, joint projects of Legal Aid of NC and the NC Bar Association
Duke Mock Trial (volunteer judge)
Because addressing your legal issues will probably not be pleasant, and indeed may be one of the most expensive and emotionally exhausting experiences of your life, Derrick is committed to running a law practice that focuses on the client's needs and making the experience the best it can be. Although the legal system may be slow, complex, and full of uncertainty, your attorney should not compound the problem by failing to explain their role or failing to keep you involved and updated on your case. Derrick believes that you have a right to know your case's status at every turn, and to speak about your case's status at least every other week, a right to make prompt appointments to discuss any issues that are important to you, the right to be informed about less costly alternatives to full legal representation, the right to work out a reasonable payment plan over time, and the right to know about your options if you are not satisfied with your attorney's services.

In order to build relationships with other members of the bar, to maintain professional competency through education and communication with other attorneys, and to engage in policy advocacy, Derrick maintains an affiliation with the following legal organizations:

American Bar Association
North Carolina Bar Association
Durham County Bar Association
North Carolina Advocates for Justice
American Civil Liberties Union
Derrick is also a member of various subgroups within the organizations focused on Family Law, Latino/Hispanic issues, and Immigration.