Licensed for 23 years

State CO

Acquired 1999

Status
Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

Derek Andrew Samuelson

Criminal defense Attorney at Fort Collins, CO

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Knowledgeable and Kind

Attorney with experience and integrity

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CRIMINAL DEFENSE SPECIALIST - TOP 100 TRIAL LAWYER & COLORADO SUPER LAWYER

Derek Samuelson is a trial lawyer who specializes in defending criminal cases in state and federal court. Mr. Samuelson has been recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyers (2013-present) and a Colorado Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers® (2019-present). He is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest recognition possible in the practice of law. Mr. Samuelson also enjoys a Superb 10/10 rating from Avvo (2015-present).

Mr. Samuelson is proud to provide comprehensive legal representation to people charged with criminal offenses throughout northern Colorado and in federal court. Mr. Samuelson has defended clients against everything from DUI charges to the death penalty and has established a track record of trial success in the process.

Before entering private practice, Mr. Samuelson spent more than a decade representing people charged with felonies and misdemeanors for the Colorado State Public Defender in the Fort Collins, Greeley, and Denver Regional Offices. He was also selected to serve on the Capital Defense Unit and named the ‘Attorney of the Year’ by the Colorado State Public Defender for outstanding service in the practice of criminal defense. Mr. Samuelson was chosen from over 300 criminal defense attorneys across Colorado for the award.

Mr. Samuelson’s courtroom experience is extensive. He has handled thousands of criminal cases and defended clients charged with virtually every crime on the books in Colorado. He has tried and won numerous high-profile cases.
Mr. Samuelson received his law degree from the University of Denver where he graduated with high academic honors, earning membership to the Law Review and the Order of St. Ives (top 10% of the class). Mr. Samuelson earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Vermont, where he was a Dean’s List student and captained a nationally-ranked NCAA Division I soccer team

Away from the courtroom, Mr. Samuelson teaches continuing legal education courses to other lawyers across the country on topics such as trial tactics, cross-examination, and death penalty jury selection. He is also frequently called upon to speak to college classes and community service organizations about issues in the criminal justice system.

Mr. Samuelson is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association, the Colorado Bar Association, and the Larimer County Bar Association. He has also served on the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Title IX Committee, National Legal Aid & Defender Association Advisory Board, the Weld County Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, and the Larimer County Juvenile Drug Court Board.

Contact Derek

Samuelson Law, P.C.

(970) 999-1465 Office

215 W. Oak Street

Suite 601

Fort Collins, CO, 80521

samuelsonlaw.com/Attorney-Profile/Derek-Samuelson.shtml

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Reviews

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4.6 / 5.0

10 customer reviews

5 Star

90%

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

10%

Posted by anonymous | February 13, 2023

Knowledgeable and Kind

I was so fortunate to have found Derek Samuelson to represent my elderly parent in a case. He was able to get the case resolved with a plea that was fair. He was so kind and explained complex issues in a way that was understandable. His knowledge and ability to advocate for his client was impressive! This was our first experience with the court system and it was very comforting to have him on our side.

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Posted by anonymous | February 11, 2023

Attorney with experience and integrity

Derek Samuelson was clear and accurate about his charges, the process, and the expected outcomes. I was pleased with his council and can recommend him without hesitation.

Posted by anonymous | May 14, 2019

sexual offense defense

We have been repeatedly reminded of what a blessing it was to have Derek as our son's lawyer. We are so very thankful to have had him walking through this “journey “ with us. Derek and his staff made a very difficult situation much more bearable! Blessings to you,

Posted by Zander | October 6, 2016

Professional, affable, and competent.

Derek Samuelson is held in high esteem among the Fort Collins lawyer community, and for good reason. A former public defender, he now works to ensure defendants receive a fair trial with excellent representation. When I was wrongfully cited a ticket for 'throwing missles', Derek worked tirelessly to get my case thrown out. He has many connections on both sides of the law, and will use them to represent you to the best of his ability. Everyone who works with him will agree, he is the best lawyer in Fort Collins. I can't recommend him highly enough.

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Posted by anonymous | June 18, 2015

Sex Assault Charges -- Case Dismissed

Mr. Samuelson and his team come with my highest recommendation. Derek was referred to me by a number of top Denver law firms as the best attorney in the region to handle sex assault charges, and his exceptional reputation proved to be well-deserved as he was able to have the case dismissed. Derek was incredibly responsive, kept me up-to-date with conversations with the DA's office, setting realistic expectations for timing and so forth, and showed great intelligence and professionalism throughout the process. He was very detail-oriented throughout the initial meeting (and subsequent follow-up calls/meetings) and went through all of the charges and the facts of the case, and discussed all possible options and the pros and cons of each as I inquired about countersuing the claimant for filing a false police report and so forth. I consult with many Fortune 500 companies in my line of business, and frankly haven't been in as productive of a strategy session as those I enjoyed with Derek as he vigorously defended against these claims and skillfully worked to have the case dismissed. Through multiple phone calls with numerous people in the law profession, I was able to learn before hiring him that Derek is not only highly-regarded by his clients, but also with the district attorney's offices throughout the area, which makes a very tangible difference in dealing with such a he-said/she-said case.

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Posted by steve | June 18, 2015

solid honest

Derek is a gifted personable lawyer. He takes the time to learn who you are as a person not just as a client. He is responsive and when talking with him or working with him you never get the feeling he has something else going. he communicates what is happening what the likely out comes are and he is honest about your case. He keeps you informed and works hard to defend you and your rights. Again what I think is most important and impressive with Derek is that he flat out takes the time to listen know and understand his clients. in the end you don't walk away believing all the lawyer jokes. and while you hope that you never need his services again you feel that if you do he is the person you will call.

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Posted by Roger | June 5, 2015

Committed to my innocence.

Derek was very committed to my innocence, working diligently to marshall every resource he could to my case. He wasn't always gentle or sweet, but he was totally focused on getting a not guilty verdict. He worked extensively with myself and my family to identify witnesses, and his investigator was excellent. By the time my case was scheduled to come to trial, he's accumulated such a wealth of evidence refuting the claims that the case was dismissed. Finally, he worked through getting my arrest sealed in record time. It was clear he took the incredible pain this caused to my family personally and was unrelenting in his defense. Derek was always very responsive to both email and phone calls, and did a great job of balancing my need to know and his need to work the case. Thanks Derek and team. While I hope I won't need to hire you again, I would in a heartbeat if needed.

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Posted by Eric | June 4, 2015

Roger

Derek did an excellent job in a situation f¡rife with police and judiciary misconduct. He opened my eyes to the murky justice of Weld County Colorado and managed to make use of a very new law to clear his client arrest record. I am very grateful.

Posted by Kyle | April 2, 2015

Fake ID

Derek was extremely experienced with my type of case and with the judges in Fort Collins. He immediately knew the course of action to provide the best outcome for me. He executed his plan in a timely manner and made my life easier.

Posted by Reza | December 13, 2021

Not Recommended

Hired him for some criminal charges. After feeling the whole defense process is going into a bad direction and consulting with other attorneys, I fired him and hired another attorney which resulted in dismissal of all the charges against me. Not recommended!

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Cost

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

Trial Lawyer
Samuelson Law PC
2009 - Present

Trial Attorney
Colorado State Public Defender's Office
1999 - 2009

Education

University of Denver Sturm College of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1999

University of Vermont
BA - Bachelor of Arts
1996

University of Queensland
N/A

Associations

National Trial Lawyers Association
Member
2013 - Present

Criminal Justice Act
Panel Member
2010 - Present

Larimer County Bar Association
Member
2009 - Present

Colorado Alternate Defense Counsel
Lawyer
2009 - Present

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Faculty
2008 - Present

Colorado Bar Association
Member
1999 - Present

Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association
Member
1998 - Present

South Carolina Commission of Indigent Defense
Faculty
2013 - 2013

Arizona Public Defender Association
Faculty
2012 - 2012

National Legal Aid and Defender Association
Faculty
2011 - 2011

National Legal Aid and Defender Association
Advisory Board
2011 - 2011

Oklahoma Indigent Defense System
Faculty
2011 - 2011

Southern Center for Human Rights
Faculty
2008 - 2013

Weld County Criminal Justice Advisory Board
Member
2004 - 2006

View all associations

Languages Spoken

English

Honors and Awards

Selected as a Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2019

Top 100 Trial Lawyers
National Trial Lawyer
2013

AV Peer Review Rating
Martindale-Hubbell
2013

AV Peer Review Rating
Martindale-Hubbell
2012

Attorney of the Year
Colorado State Public Defender
2008

The Order of St. Ives
University of Denver Sturm College of Law
1999

Law Review
University of Denver Sturm College of Law
1998

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Publications

Inside the Minds (Aspatore Books)
Trends in DUI Discovery
2013

Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Rap Sheet
Case Dismissal Doesn’t Equal A Clean Record
2012

Speaking Engagements

National Institute for Trial Advocacy, Boulder, CO
Title IX - Defending Sexual Misconduct Claims in Schools, Colleges & Universities
2019

Colorado State University, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Fort Collins, CO
The Role of Toxicology in Criminal Cases
2019

Colorado State University, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Fort Collins, CO
The Role of Toxicology in Criminal Cases
2018

Contra Costa County Public Defender, Martinez, CA
Capital Jury Selection: The Colorado Method
2018

Florida Public Defender Association, Tampa, FL
Capital Voir Dire Training: Theory and Intense Practice
2017

Larimer County Bar Association Professionalism Committee's Annual Ethics Seminar, Fort Collins, CO
Ethics
2017

CU Law School, Boulder, CO
National College of Capital Voir Dire
2017

CU Law School, Boulder, CO
National College of Capital Voir Dire
2016

Society for Constitutional Education, Loveland, CO
The Fourth Amendment (with 8th Judicial District Attorney Cliff Reidel and Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith)
2015

CU Law School, Boulder, CO
National College of Capital Voir Dire
2015

Colorado Independent, Denver, CO
Discussing the Death Penalty (with Ben Autobee, Senator Rhonda Fields, and Adams County District Attorney Dave Young)
2014

Cuyahoga County Public Defender's Office, Cleveland, OH
Capital Jury Selection (with David Lane)
2014

CU Law School, Boulder CO
National College of Capital Voir Dire
2014

Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, Greeley, CO
Jury Selection in Media Cases
2014

Capital Voir Dire Seminar: Theories and Intense Practice, CU Law School, Boulder, CO
Capital Voir Dire
2013

Capital Voir Dire Training, Myrtle Beach, SC
Capital Voir Dire
2013

Larimer County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Series, Ft. Collins, CO
Jury Deselection that Works … and Doesn't Alienate Your Judge (with District Court Judge Thomas French)
2013

Arizona Public Defender Association, Colorado Method of Capital Voir Dire, Tempe, AZ
Colorado Method
2012

Capital Voir Dire Seminar: Theories and Intense Practice, CU Law School, Boulder, CO
Capital Voir Dire
2012

Oklahoma Indigent Defense System - Federal Grant Training, Norman, Oklahoma
Death Penalty Jury Selection
2011

Capital Voir Dire Seminar: Theories and Intense Practice, CU Law School, Boulder, CO
Capital Voir Dire
2011

National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Life in the Balance, Annual National Conference, Orlando, FL
Colorado Method of Death Penalty Jury Selection
2011

Capital Voir Dire Training: Theories and Intense Practice, CU Law School, Boulder, CO
Capital Voir Dire
2010

ADC Death Penalty Mitigation Program, Denver, CO
Tying Trauma to the Colorado Method: Application of Theory to Practice
2010

ADC Death Penalty Mitigation Program, Denver, CO
Mitigation Themes
2010

Colorado State Public Defender Annual Conference, Broomfield, CO
Proper File Documentation (with Tamara Brady, Chief Trial Deputy, Colorado State Public Defender)
2009

Capital Voir Dire Training: Theories and Intense Program, CU Law School, Boulder, CO
Capital Voir Dire
2009

Courts in the Community Workshop (with Judge Dave Furman, Colorado Court of Appeals)
Courts in the Community
2009

Colorado State Public Defender Annual Conference, Crested Butte, CO
Cross-Examining the Snitch Witness
2008

Colorado State Public Defender Annual Conference, Crested Butte, CO
Overview of the Colorado Method of Capital Jury Selection (with Doug Wilson, Colorado State Public Defender)
2008

Capital Voir Dire Training: Theories and Intense Training, CU Law School, Boulder, CO
Capital Voir Dire
2008

Weld County Chamber of Commerce Panel Discussion Series
Criminal Justice Panel Discussion (with Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck and Weld County District Court Judge Marcelo Kopkow)
2006

University of Northern Colorado
The Role of the Prosecutor vs. Defense Counsel (with Chief Deputy Weld County District Attorney Zeke Knox)
2005

Public Defender Annual Conference, Breckenridge, CO
Sane Nurses and Debunking Medical Mythology in Sex Assault Cases (with Deputy State Public Defenders Jamie Roth and Sheryl Uhlmann)
2004

Colorado State Public Defender Lecture Series, Denver, CO
Defending the DUI
2004

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Attorney endorsements

Received (6)

Given (4)

Endorse Derek

Kirk Waible

Criminal defense Attorney | Feb 08
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Derek Samuelson does not shy away from representing people with complex legal problems who need to exercise their right to trial. He is intelligent, dedicated and ethical."

Michael Waddington

Criminal defense Attorney | Jun 06
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Derek. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Troy Krenning

Criminal defense Attorney | May 28
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Derek is one the best in Northern Colorado. His expertise in the criminal law is second to none. He fights hard for his clients and does not blink during confrontation. One of the few "true" defense lawyers in the Fort Collins area. I highly recommend Derek."

Erin Wilson

Criminal defense Attorney | May 05
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Derek Samuelson. Derek is second to none in a courtroom, and his reputation, knowledge and experience make him a force to reckon with."

Miller Leonard

Criminal defense Attorney | Feb 04
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I practice criminal defense in the Denver, Colorado area. Whenever I get calls from people who need a lawyer in the Ft. Collins area, I refer them to Derek. Derek is an excellent lawyer."

Christopher Collins

Criminal defense Attorney | Oct 03
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. I believe Derek Samuelson is the best trial advocate I have ever seen in 15 years of practice. Derek and I have worked together and on opposing sides, and he is an absolute pleasure to work with. His skills are simply unmatched."

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