COX LAW FIRM - Key Persons
Derrick is a father of four (4) and the husband of Chasity Kee. He is a native of Chicago, Illinois, but first came to Louisiana when he enrolled in Grambling State University in 1997. While at Grambling, Derrick excelled both academically and athletically as a baseball player and outstanding student. In 2000, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 3.57 G.P.A. in Political Science.
In 2005, Derrick received his Juris Doctorate degree from Southern University Law Center. While attending Southern, he was elected President of the Student Bar Association, Vice President of the Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents, a National Delegate for the American Bar Association: Law Student Division, a member of the Association for Trial Lawyers in America (ATLA) Trial Advocacy Team and was inducted as a Pupil of the American Inns of Court.
Derrick is a former district judge of the 14th Judicial District Court in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. As District Judge, he presided over both criminal and civil cases. He also presided over Re-entry Court and Behavioral Health Court, both specialty courts which contribute to the rehabilitation and anti-recidivism goals of the criminal justice system. Judge Kee was a member of the Louisiana District Judges Association, where he served on the Legislative Committee, and the Louisiana Judicial Council/National Bar Association. Upon leaving the bench, Derrick joined the Cox Law Firm, in Lake Charles, LA, where he adds valuable experience and legal acumen to their talented legal team.
Prior to being elected to the bench, Derrick was a partner at the Hawkins Kee Law Group in Lake Charles, LA., practicing in the areas of Civil Rights, Personal Injury Criminal Defense, and Civil Litigation. He is also very proud of his service as a former public defender in Calcasieu Parish. He has practiced in over 20 parishes in Louisiana, and 3 counties in Illinois, where he was born and was also barred to practice. Over the years, Derrick has become a prolific motivational speaker, mentor, youth baseball coach, former radio show host, and has served as moderator for numerous public forums. In 2015, Derrick was the recipient of the LSBA Citizen Lawyer Award for his community service efforts. In 2023, he was selected as a Top 100 National Black Lawyers and also became a member of the Masonic Temple Ionic 26.
Job Titles:
- Cell Anemia Foundation ( Board Member )
Jackson grew up in Sulphur and graduated from Sulphur High School. He attended McNeese State University, where he graduated in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in business. Jackson then received his law degree from the Louisiana State University Law Center and joined the firm upon receiving his license to practice in October of 2021.
In his free time, Jackson loves to play sports. His competitive nature translates perfectly to advocating for his clients. Jackson cares about the people of Southwest Louisiana and fights to help them get their lives back on track after an injury.
Jackson is married to Laken Ritchie and they have two children, Luca and Laci.
Jackson is a native of Sulphur and a McNeese graduate in Business. His law degree is from Louisiana State University Law Center. His focuses are Hurricane Litigation and Personal Injury.
Kevin grew up in Baton Rouge and attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette). In 1987, he graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in English.
Kevin was awarded his Juris Doctorate from the Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans in 1992. He practiced law in New Orleans, primarily representing individuals and their families to recover damages for injuries.
In addition, Kevin prosecuted consumer class action cases and handled various commercial and construction litigation matters. Kevin also served as referral counsel for the NFL Players Association, representing New Orleans Saints players, as well as other professional athletes.
Since joining the Cox Law Firm in 1996, Kevin has obtained millions of dollars in damages for clients injured in automobile, maritime, Jones Act, and on-the-job accidents. Kevin also handles commercial and construction litigation and oilfield contamination cases.
Kevin has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell, for his legal ability and ethical standards. He has made presentations concerning his areas of practice for continued legal education programs.
Kevin is married to Lake Charles native Angela King, and they have a son, Carey, and a daughter, Chloe. His family is active in the faith community of the Our Lady of Heaven Catholic Church. Kevin and Angie support the arts and humanities in Lake Charles, as well as various other philanthropic causes, including the McNeese Banners Series, the Lake Charles Symphony, and the Imperial Calcasieu Museum. Kevin served on the Board of Trustees for Bishop Noland Episcopal Day School from 2003 to 2018, serving as Chairman for two terms and facilitating the development and construction of a new middle school/high school campus.
Kevin has obtained millions of dollars in damages for his clients injured in automobile, maritime, Jones Act, and on-the-job accidents. Kevin also handles commercial and construction litigation and oil field contamination cases.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Louisiana Bar Association
Michael has successfully tried over one hundred cases in state and federal courts, including approximately 30 jury trials and the largest individual personal injury verdict reported in the state of Louisiana, over $26 million.
Paul has devoted his practice to helping families get their lives back on track by recovering the compensation they deserve. For Paul, every case is taken and prepared as if it is going to trial. Because of his determination and hard work, Paul is able to settle his cases quickly, fairly, and for significant value.
Paul is credited with winning the highest general damage award for wrongful death for the loss of a spouse in Calcasieu Parish history. In his over 25 years of practice, Paul has successfully handled over 350 commercial trucking cases. Paul handles all types of personal injury cases.
Paul was born and raised in Lake Charles. In 1990 he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin where he received a degree in History. Paul was awarded his law degree at Louisiana State University Law Center in 1994. Paul and his wife, Cristi, have two children, Nathan and Leah.
Paul handles all types of plaintiffs' personal injury, maritime, and workers' compensation cases. Paul has devoted his practice to helping families get their lives back on track by recovering the compensation they deserve.
Richard was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, but moved to Louisiana in 1994. He attended law school at Tulane University, where he excelled in trial advocacy. Upon completion of law school in 1997, he served as a law clerk to the judges of the Fourteenth Judicial District court in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Since participating with The Cox Law Firm, he has handled Maritime, Personal Injury, Toxic Tort, and Workers' Compensation cases.
Richard has three children, Bailey, Chase and Bryce Wilson. Richard and his children have all worked hard to represent Lake Charles, Louisiana through sport and community involvement. Richard has served the community of Lake Charles as the President of the Board of Directors for the Southwest Louisiana Center for Health Services, a member of the Civic Advisory Council for LifeShare Blood Center, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Calcasieu Women's Shelter. He is also a charter member of 100 Black Men of Lake Charles, which was formed to mentor young African American men. In addition, Richard has served as a Judge Pro Temp for the Fourteenth Judicial District Court. He is a member of the Lake Charles Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi and is a member of Masonic Temple Ionic 26.
Roy is a Texas native but moved to his adoptive Louisiana as soon as he could. He graduated from Strake Jesuit high school in Houston in 2004, graduated magna cum laude from Loyola New Orleans in 2008, and graduated magna cum laude from Tulane Law School in 2011, where he was an editor of the Tulane Law Review and was elected Order or the Coif. Roy is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Texas, and has been admitted to practice in all federal courts in Louisiana and is a member of The Louisiana Association for Justice. Roy has practiced in Texas and Louisiana and has experience in civil, criminal and family law, and has succeeded in cases that went all the way to the Louisiana Supreme Court and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal. Roy moved to Lake Charles in 2015 and has focused solely on civil trial work for plaintiffs ever since.
Roy was on the trial team for the first Hurricane Laura case, which resulted in a $1.79 million dollar verdict for our client.
Originally from Texas, Roy completed all of his higher education in Louisiana including Tulane Law School. he practices in both Texas and Louisiana in civil, criminal and family law, and has succeeded in cases that went all the way to the Louisiana Supreme Court and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal.
Somer began her personal injury practice in the relentless representation of women and children who were harmed by caretakers and schools. She obtained the largest jury verdict in the State for a student who was sexually abused by a public school teacher and also obtained the largest jury verdict in Louisiana under the Louisiana employment discrimination statute for a disabled employee who was discharged.
Since Hurricane Laura, Somer's focus has now shifted to 1st party insurance claims for property owners. Somer was first chair at the trial of the very first jury trial in SWLA involving Hurricane Laura and obtained a verdict that resulted in a judgment that was 50X more than the pretrial offer.
Somer has been named as a Louisiana Super Lawyers Rising Star for the last six years and a Louisiana Super Lawyer for the year 2022. She was born and raised in Lake Charles and graduated from LaGrange High School. She and her husband Aaron live in Moss Bluff with their two daughters Aly and Maggie.
Somer, a Lake Charles native, graduated from McNeese State and earned her law degree at Baylor. She has practiced in the areas of oil and gas disputes, insurance, and employment law. Her focus here has been on employee rights and union issues, along with personal injury.
Tom has successfully tried and settled hundreds of personal injury cases, including one of the largest punitive damage verdicts for an individual plaintiff in Louisiana. He has obtained numerous multimillion dollar recoveries for clients against oil companies, industrial plants, automobile manufacturers, and insurance companies.
Tyler grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana and graduated from Saint Louis Catholic High School in 2015. After high school, he attended Louisiana State University, where he graduated in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in sociology. Upon graduating from LSU, Tyler attended South Texas College of Law, Houston and received his law degree in December of 2023.
Tyler joined the Cox Law Firm as an associate attorney in November of 2023. His areas of focus include Hurricane Litigation and Personal Injury.
In his free time, Tyler enjoys the outdoors by hunting, fishing, and playing golf. Tyler is engaged to Anna Duplechin and the two will be married in December of 2024.
Along with his brother Jimmy, William Cox founded the Lake Charles firm of Cox & Cox in 1969.