Derek D. Lick

Derek D. Lick, who is the Chair of the Litigation Department at Sulloway & Hollis, concentrates his practice in litigation, including providing legal defense to insured parties sued in state and federal courts and representing clients in disputes involving personal injury matters, commercial disputes and disputes involving construction, development and real-estate projects, and construction payment and performance bond claims.

Mr. Lick has represented clients in federal court, in all ten of the state’s superior courts, as well as before the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He has successfully defended personal injury suits at jury trial for the operator of Verizon Wireless Arena and the association promoting Laconia Motorcycle Week, a high-profile case that garnered daily media coverage. He has also represented one of the largest and most successful property developers in New Hampshire at trial and successfully defended it from claims in excess of $10 million, while also obtaining an award for the client on counterclaims and for partial attorneys’ fees.

On occasion, Mr. Lick has also represented clients before the New Hampshire Legislature. He was part of a team of Sulloway attorneys working on behalf of the New Hampshire Medical Society who helped draft and successfully advocate for passage of two significant bills that became law – one that reined in a court-created expansion of medical liability and a second that created a screening panel mechanism for medical injury suits.

Mr. Lick joined Sulloway & Hollis in 1999.  Prior to entering practice, Mr. Lick worked on Capitol Hill, serving as the Press Secretary for Democratic Congressman Martin O. Sabo, the Chairman of the House Budget Committee and a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. As the Press Secretary, Mr. Lick was responsible for developing and implementing the Congressman’s media strategy in Washington, D.C. and in the Congressman’s Minneapolis, Minnesota district, one of the country’s top-20 media markets.

Year Joined Firm

1999

Areas of Practice

Business Litigation
Insurance Defense and Coverage
Construction / Land Use and Planning Law

Bar Admissions

New Hampshire
U.S. District Court District of New Hampshire

Education

Vanderbilt University School of Law, Nashville, Tennessee
J.D.
Law Journal: Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, Articles Editor

Boston University’s College of Communication
B.S.
Major: Journalism

News & Announcements

• Sulloway Attorneys Selected 2021 Best Lawyers, Ones to Watch and Lawyer of the Year
• Sulloway & Hollis Receives Spirit of New Hampshire Award
• Derek Lick and Kelly Ovitt Puc Prevail at the New Hampshire Supreme Court
• Sulloway Litigation Team Obtains $1.5 Million Settlement for Client in Construction Dispute
• Attorneys Margaret Nelson and Derek Lick Successfully Obtain and Defend $7.3 Million Award in Dispute Over Value of Power Plant and Other Assets
• Attorneys Natalie Laflamme and Derek Lick Obtain Summary Judgment in Commercial Property Dispute
• Sutton Voters Elect Derek Lick as Town Moderator
• Attorney Derek Lick Successfully Defends Client From $6 Million Suit and Obtains Favorable Verdict
• Attorneys Derek Lick and Kelly Ovitt Puc Prevail at Trial in Boundary Line Dispute Involving New Hampshire Wind Farm

Published Works

• Protecting Your Client’s Business Reputation: The Challenges of Litigating Anonymous Internet Defamation
• Can a Contractor Shift the Risk of Nonpayment to Its Subcontractor?

Honors and Awards

• After an extensive vetting and peer review process, elected as a Member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Membership is by invitation only, and there are currently only four other attorneys in the State of New Hampshire who are members of the FDCC
• Awarded a “distinguished” rating from Martindale Hubbell, the nation’s preeminent independent legal review organization
• Appointed by the New Hampshire Supreme Court to the Court’s Rules Advisory Committee
• Served as Governor John Lynch’s designee on the New Hampshire Transportation Enhancement Advisory Committee
• Graduate of Leadership New Hampshire
• Served on the Democratic State Committee after being elected as an at-large representative to the Merrimack County Democratic Committee and as Chairperson for the Sutton Town Democrats
• Elected first as Corporator and now serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Sugar River Bank

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Member of the Defense Research Institute and the Tri-State Defense Lawyers Association
• Member of the New Hampshire Bar Association’s Committee on Cooperation with the Courts and former elected Member of the New Hampshire Bar Association’s Board of Governors

Past Employment Positions

• Democratic Congressman Martin O. Sabo, the Chairman of the House Budget Committee and a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Press Secretary

Community Activities

• Moderator, Town of Sutton
• Chair, Sutton Zoning Board of Adjustment
• Former Chair, Board of Directors of the Kearsarge Area Council on Aging
• Former Member, Board of Directors, League of New Hampshire Craftsmen
• Former Member of the program committee of Leadership New Hampshire
• Former youth baseball coach
• Former leader of local Cub Scout pack