Practice areas: Insurance Coverage
Licensed in California since: 2008
Education: University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2027 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2019 - 2022 Merlin Law Group
2049 Century Park EastSuite 650
Los Angeles, CA 90067 Phone: 213-374-0416 Email: Derek S. Chaiken Visit website
Derek S. Chaiken is a litigator with Merlin Law Group in Los Angeles, where he represents policyholders in complex insurance disputes involving denied, delayed, and underpaid claims. He has devoted his practice to holding insurance companies accountable and helping homeowners and businesses recover the benefits they are entitled to under their policies.
Throughout his career, Derek has represented more than 1,000 homeowners and business owners in insurance matters, ranging from individual residential claims to significant commercial losses. His clients have included Fortune 500 companies, hotels, manufacturers, schools, churches, and prominent individuals.
Derek leads Merlin Law Group’s Los Angeles office and also serves as General Counsel to the Pacific Coast Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, where he advises on legal, regulatory, and industry issues affecting public insurance adjusters and policyholders throughout California.
Derek earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. During law school, he served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Bernard A. Friedman of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
First Admitted: 2008, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.merlinlawgroup.com/attorneys/derek-s-chaiken/
Bar / Professional Activity
- United States District Court for Central California, 2008
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Combined recovery from insurance companies for business and homeowner clients at trial, arbitration and settlement exceed $10million, in both state and federal courts., 2023
- Recovered more $5 million in settlements, arbitration, mediation and trial awards for clients, 2022
- Various settlements totaling millions of dollars with many different insurance carriers for first party property claims on behalf of business and homeowners, 2019
- Settlement with product manufacturer $4.5 million, 2018
- Insurance Bad Faith Settlement with Mercury involving minors. Contractual dispute $40,000, but carrier paid $420,000 to resolve bad faith claims., 2018
Representative Clients
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-nfl-player-antonio-gates-and-wife-suing-property-insurance-company-over-burglary-claim-301205574.html, 2021
- Homeowners sue insurers, allege boycott to push substandard fire coverage, 2025
- Hotel Owner Sues Safran & Associates For $15M (therealdeal.com)https://therealdeal.com/la/2022/06/16/neighbor-hits-safrans-hollywood-arts-collective-with-15m-suit/, 2022
- https://www.law360.com/articles/1282268/actress-sues-lloyd-s-for-wildfire-coverage-under-9m-policy, 2020
Pro bono / Community Service
- Regional Commissioner of AYSO Region 70 West LA, 2025
- General Counsel for Pacific Coast Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, 2024
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Presenter of CLE Program, Handling and Litigating Wildfire Claims in California, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), Attorneys, Insurance, 2022
- Presenter to ACREL fellows in wake of wildfires, Speaker, ACRELive! EMERGENCY WEBINAR – Primer on Insurance Response to California Wildfires, Insurance; Real Estate, 2025
- A Personal Property Loss Expert Is Born! Derek Chaiken Knocks It Out of The Park in California | Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog, https://www.propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com/blog/a-personal-property-loss-expert-is-born-derek-chaiken-knocks-it-out-of-the-park-in-california/, 2023
- Speaker regarding the topic of insurance claims for property contents claims, Keynote Speaker at 2023 CAPIA Spring Conference, Litigating Contents Claims in California, Insurance, 2023
- Speaker on topic of Appraisal Under Insurance Policies in California , Speaker, Appraisal in California at NAPIA First Party Claims Conference, 2023
- Speaker on the Use of Drones in Property Claim Adjusment , Speaker, Speaker/Lecturer at American Bar Association, Property Division, Insurance, Legal, 2019
- Discussion of drone usage and liability during claim adjustment and preparation for litigation, Speaker, Speaker at First Party Claims Conference Annual Convention (Warwick, Rhode Island), Insurance, Legal, 2019
Honors
- Los Angeles Business Journal: Leaders of Influence, Insurance, https://labusinessjournal.com/custom-content/leaders-of-influence-insurance-2025-derek-chaiken/, 2025
Industry Groups
- Insurance
Office location for Derek S. Chaiken
2049 Century Park East
Suite 650
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2027
- Rising Stars: 2019 - 2022