Derek F. Meek

Derek serves on Burr and Forman's Executive Committee and as the chair of the firm's Creditors’ Rights & Bankruptcy practice group. Derek works out of the firm’s Birmingham, Atlanta and Montgomery offices. He focuses on bankruptcy and commercial litigation matters.

He represents debtors, creditors, committees, asset purchasers, and other clients in matters related to insolvency, financial distress, and bankruptcy, both in and out of court.

Derek has served as the Global President and Chair of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA). 

Derek's practice also involves the representation of unsecured creditor committees and individual and corporate unsecured creditors. He has represented debtors in and out of court from very large, multi-state corporations to individuals with specialized circumstances.

He has a passion for automobiles, new and old, and regularly advises clients in and around the manufacturing space, particularly automotive OEMs, tier-suppliers, financiers, and transportation providers.

Derek’s other clients include equity owners, franchisors, ad hoc committees, Section 363 buyers, and a variety of other “players” in the bankruptcy, workout, and restructuring space.

Derek is an experienced mediator and is registered on the Alabama State Court Mediator Roster. He focuses on mediations that are influenced by the Bankruptcy Code, the Uniform Commercial Code, and financially distressed circumstances. Additionally, Derek is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy.

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law since 2009, Litigation-Bankruptcy since 2011, Bet-the-Company Litigation since 2022
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® "Lawyer of the Year", Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency, Reorganization Law (2023), Litigation-Bankruptcy (2017,2023)
• Named, Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers (2020, 2022-2023)
• Named, Chambers USA, Bankruptcy/Restructuring (2012-2023)
• American College of Bankruptcy, Fellow
• Alabama Super Lawyers, Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (2012-2023), Alabama "Top 50" List (2015-2023)
• Mid-South Super Lawyers, Bankruptcy: Business since 2016, Alabama "Top 50" List (2016-2017); Mid-South "Top 50 Birmingham" List (2021-2023)
• Birmingham Business Journal's Best and Brightest, Bankruptcy and Insolvency
• Alabama Super Lawyers "Rising Star," Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (2010-2011)
• Birmingham Business Journal's Leading Lawyers in Birmingham, Bankruptcy
• Birmingham Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40 (2005)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent© Peer Review Rating

• American College of Bankruptcy (11th Circuit Nominations Committee) 
• Turnaround Management Association, Immediate Past Global Chair (2022), Global Chair (2021), Global President (2020), Corporate Secretary (2019), Vice President of Chapter Relations Executive Board (2018), Chair of Global Chapter Presidents' Council (2017), Alabama Chapter President (2015), Member of Global Board of Trustees (2013 - 2022)
• Birmingham Bar Association
• American Bankruptcy Institute (Committee Development)

Paralegal

Meredith Stinson Gunnells
(205) 244-5043
mgunnells@burr.com 

Legal Practice Assistant

Karen Sickles
(205) 458-5434
ksickles@burr.com