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I was born in Fort Walton Beach Florida and moved to Chapel Hill while I was in Junior High School. I attended Chapel Hill High School and after graduation attended UNC in Chapel Hill. I dropped out of school and worked as a bus driver in Chapel Hill and later was a bus driver and tour guide in Yellowstone National Park for a summer. After leaving Yellowstone, I relocated to Boulder, Colorado where I worked for several years before going back to school at the University of Colorado at Boulder where I was extremely fortunate to be able to study abroad at the Universite de Bordeaux in Bordeaux France. Upon returning to Colorado, I finished school at CU with a BA in Political Science and International Affairs, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1990. I worked for a couple years to try to get some money together and in 1992 enrolled in law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law and graduated in the top 28% of my class in 1995.
After graduating from law school I worked for a small personal injury firm in Wilmington and later relocated back to the Triangle to take a job with a medium sized firm in Durham. Shortly thereafter I transferred to work closely with one of the partners of that firm in their Creedmore, North Carolina office. I decided to open my own firm in 2002 and have been self employed ever since. I have been practicing bankruptcy law since 2001 and it has been the single largest part of my practice since I started my firm in 2002. I really enjoy helping people and get a great deal of satisfaction in helping people lift the weight of the world off their shoulders by helping them get rid of debt. I understand that the vast majority of people who file bankruptcy do so not because of anything they did wrong but because bad things happen to good people.
5
Practice Areas
25 years | 250 cases
25 years | 400 cases
29 years | 250 cases
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Chat withState: North Carolina
Acquired: 1995
No misconduct found
PO Box 19242, 4801 Glenwood Avenue Suite 200, Raleigh, NC, 27619
Showing 1 - 5 of 27 client reviews from Avvo
Posted by anonymous | October 3, 2024 | Consulted Attorney
Our Lawyer was unavailable to answer questions about an issue with our bankruptcy. I asked the questions we have here on Avvo and Derek was kind enough to answer them. I wish I would have found him when we were looking for a good Lawyer before we started the process.
Posted by anonymous | November 9, 2021 | Consulted Attorney
Very Easy to talk with. Knowledgeable and non-condescending. Consider me a lifelong client and referral source!
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it!
Posted by Nicole | May 11, 2021 | Consulted Attorney
After months of considering filing Chapter 7 on my own, I've finally decided to go with an attorney. After calling several offices in NC, I was pleased to speak with Attorney Derek R. Caldwell who made a great case for why going with an attorney offers a greater chance for Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing...
Thank you for your kind words. It was a pleasure speaking with you and I look forward to working with you to discharge your debt.
Posted by Sandy | December 30, 2020 | Hired Attorney
We contracted Derek to guide us through a loan negotiation. he was easy to work with, very professional, and clearly worked well with the banks attorneys. We worked out a good settlement with the bank with timely payments that worked best for our situation. Derek did a great job, we would recommend h...
Thank you so much for the kind words. I am very happy we were able to reach an amicable settlement of this debt.
Posted by anonymous | March 16, 2019 | Hired Attorney
Mr. Caldwell, is a good person lawyer who on day one helped me with my chapter 7. he was very supportive and helpful with my Bankruptcy. he helping me get through.
Thank you for your kind words. I try to treat every client the way I would like to be treated.
"I endorse this lawyer. He is very knowledgeable and generously shares excellent Legal advice on this Forum Further he has provided a wealth of valuable insight and practical consul."
"I endorse this lawyer. The answers of Derek are consistently accurate, analytic, and customized to the needs of the Avvo askers. These are exactly the qualities that every client would look for when hiring an attorney. Plus, he speaks French!"
"I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Caldwell is an excellent and very knowledgeable and effective advocate for his clients."
"I endorse this lawyer. I only know Mr. Caldwell though his many answers on Avvo in the area of Bankruptcy. Mr. Caldwell's answers are always right on the money. Unlike some, he does not just give quick cursory answers. He goes in depth, yet he makes sure to be understandable to a lay person. His answers show thought, great knowledge of bankruptcy, and, most important, caring about the asker's problem. The time and effort he volunteers to help strangers is just amazing. Anyone who would hire him as their attorney is lucky to have such a quality person representing them."
"I have read Mr. Caldwell's many responses to bankruptcy questions and always found them to be accurate and concise. I endorse this lawyer to anyone in his community looking for a qualified bankruptcy attorney."
"Mr. Caldwell is undoubtedly a top notch attorney who has skillfully mastered his primary area of practice over the course of his professional experience. His sharp critical thinking and flawless work ethic are perhaps the key qualities which ensured the success of a remarkable number of his cases. I endorse this lawyer and encourage anyone who needs superior legal representation to opt for his services."
"I wholeheartedly endorse this lawyer. Mr. Derek is a well-regarded and driven attorney who has provided exceptional legal representation to numerous clients throughout the U.S. With his extensive knowledge, broad experience and impressive professional skills, he is bound to invest his time and energy into achieving the best outcome for each case, regardless of its level of complexity."
"I am pleased to endorse Mr. Caldwell, who I know only by coming across answers to Avvo questions that I am also answering. It struck me today how precise he was in his response in a a format that I believe a non-lawyer would find easy to understand and being accurate in the response. His other endorsements speak to his honesty and integrity. While most attorneys can cite to statutes and rules of procedures, not all attorneys at law can be effective counselors at law."
"Mr. Caldwell is a valuable member of the Avvo community. He consistently provides accurate advice. I endorse him without hesitation."
"I only know Derek from the postings that he makes on this site. I have not read each and every posting, but the many that I have seen are very detailed and spot on. Often he not only answers the question but asks the next question. If I had a client seeking bankruptcy counsel in his geographic area, I would definitely recommend recommend"
"I wholeheartedly endorse this lawyer. A brilliant, trustworthy and highly respected attorney in the legal community."
"I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Caldwell provides excellent advice to Avvo users. He is a very capable and exceptional attorney."
"Derek has an extremely high degree of legal knowledge, he is willing to help and very respected in the legal community. I would not hesitate in recommending Mr. Caldwell."
"I endorse this lawyer. Ethical and knowledgeable. Clients will notice the benefits of competent counsel when Derek is your arrorney."
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Family lawyer
Business lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
2021
Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2019
Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2010
Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2002 - Present
Attorney, Law Office of Derek R. Caldwell
2001 - 2002
Attorney, Wallis & Morton, PLLC
1999 - 2001
Attorney, Browne, Flebotte, Wilson & Horn, PLLC
2007 - Present
National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy AttorneysMember
1995
JD - Juris Doctor
1990
BA
N/A
French
English
Legal Answers
Can I cancel chapter 7 after I paid retaining fee in gull?
01 Sep 2025
Is earning comp time instead of overtime pay is calculated into the Chapter 7 means test?
22 Aug 2025
Can the bank refuse my volunteer repossession?
22 Aug 2025