Derek J. Allen

Alcoholic Beverage and Land Use Attorney

828.348.6012 828.348.6077

Post Office Box 2020, Asheville, NC 28802-2020

Derek leads the Alcoholic Beverage Law, Real Estate Development, and Zoning and Land Use practices. He has extensive experience with craft breweries ranging in size from small startups to those with national distribution. His practice includes representation of craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries in a wide range of permitting, regulatory, and trade issues. Derek has experience in all aspects of civil litigation, including depositions, hearings, mediations, arbitrations, jury trials, and appeals. He advises clients and litigates cases involving all forms of commercial, business, development, and real property disputes in state and federal courts. He has litigated numerous matters concerning land use issues at the trial and appellate levels. Derek also has experience litigating corporate and partnership disputes before the North Carolina Business Court. He routinely appears in front of city and county governmental bodies.

Education

J.D., The University of North Carolina School of Law, 1997
B.A., Political Science and History, magna cum laude, with distinction, The University of North Carolina Asheville, 1993. Tennis Scholarship.

Honors and Distinctions*

The Best Lawyers in America, 2010-2019
"Lawyer of the Year," Best Lawyers, 2015
The Business Journal of the Triad, 40 Leaders Under Forty Award
"Legal Elite," Business North Carolina, 2007-2008, 2010-2013
"Rising Star," North Carolina Super Lawyers, 2009-2011
"Super Lawyer," North Carolina Super Lawyers, 2010-2011

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Professional and Community Affiliations

Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (Leadership Asheville Alumnus, Class XXIX)
Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission (board member)
Brewers Association Associate Member
Community Associations Institute
Diana Wortham Theatre (member, board of directors)
LEAF (member, board of directors)
North Carolina Bar Association — Committee: Arts, Entertainment & Sports Law Committee (past chair)
North Carolina Bar Association — Sections: Litigation; Zoning, Planning and Land Use (former council member)
North Carolina Creditors Bar Association
North Carolina Economic Developers Association
The University of North Carolina at Asheville Foundation Board (member, executive committee)
United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County (member, board of directors)
Western North Carolina Green Building Council (board member)

Admitted to Practice

North Carolina, 1997
All state courts in North Carolina
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina

* Please see the following websites for an explanation of the membership standards for the following recognitions: www.bestlawyers.com; businessnc.com/special-sections/legal-elite/; and www.superlawyers.com/north-carolina.

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