About John Derrick
John Derrick’s mediation practice draws on his experience as an appellate lawyer. He has litigated around 200 appeals — including many resulting in published decisions — and has consulted in countless others. He is certified as a Specialist in Appellate Law by the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization. Today, John still consults in civil appellate matters, but mediation is his main focus.
John began mediating cases in 2008 when he went on the Court of Appeal mediation panel in Los Angeles. In 2018, he completed the nationally top-rated, intensive mediation training program offered by Pepperdine’s Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution (“Mediating the Litigated Case”). He became a Settlement Master for the Santa Barbara Superior Court in 2019. And in 2023, he joined the court’s CADRe approved private mediation, CMADRESS, and Limited Mediation panels. He is currently the co-Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association.
John received his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley. And he received his undergraduate degree in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Oxford in Britain, graduating with First Class Honours, the highest class of undergraduate degree awarded by that university.
John was the 2014-2015 Chair of the California State Bar’s Standing Committee on Appellate Courts, and from 2011-2013, he served as Editor-in-Chief of California Litigation, then the journal of the Litigation Section of the State Bar. He later served on the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association. He has also taught as a practitioner-advisor in the Berkeley Law Appellate Advocacy program.
Before entering the legal profession, John co-founded, operated, and sold two specialized information publishing businesses in the US and UK, one of which was acquired by one of the world’s largest publishers. During his business years, he took a year out to serve as Special Adviser to the Energy Secretary in the UK Cabinet.
John holds US and UK private pilot licenses and has an FAA instrument rating. He is a keen traveler, who has visited over 95 countries — often reaching remote regions — and is aiming for 100. He runs half marathons at least six times a year.
John began mediating cases in 2008 when he went on the Court of Appeal mediation panel in Los Angeles. In 2018, he completed the nationally top-rated, intensive mediation training program offered by Pepperdine’s Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution (“Mediating the Litigated Case”). He became a Settlement Master for the Santa Barbara Superior Court in 2019. And in 2023, he joined the court’s CADRe approved private mediation, CMADRESS, and Limited Mediation panels. He is currently the co-Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association.
John received his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley. And he received his undergraduate degree in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Oxford in Britain, graduating with First Class Honours, the highest class of undergraduate degree awarded by that university.
John was the 2014-2015 Chair of the California State Bar’s Standing Committee on Appellate Courts, and from 2011-2013, he served as Editor-in-Chief of California Litigation, then the journal of the Litigation Section of the State Bar. He later served on the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association. He has also taught as a practitioner-advisor in the Berkeley Law Appellate Advocacy program.
Before entering the legal profession, John co-founded, operated, and sold two specialized information publishing businesses in the US and UK, one of which was acquired by one of the world’s largest publishers. During his business years, he took a year out to serve as Special Adviser to the Energy Secretary in the UK Cabinet.
John holds US and UK private pilot licenses and has an FAA instrument rating. He is a keen traveler, who has visited over 95 countries — often reaching remote regions — and is aiming for 100. He runs half marathons at least six times a year.