Melinda T. Derish, M.D., J.D., has a background in both medicine and the law, which allows her to provide exceptional representation to her clients in personal injury matters.

Melinda obtained her undergraduate degree at the University of California at Berkeley, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1979. She then went to medical school at the University of California at San Diego and, upon becoming a doctor, completed a pediatric internship, residency, and critical care fellowship at the Stanford University Medical Center. She remained at Stanford following her training to serve as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Critical Care at the Stanford School of Medicine. She was also Associate Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Her medical training gives Dr. Derish unparalleled insight into the medical-legal issues that are involved in all personal injury cases.

In 2000, Melinda began her legal studies at U.C. Berkeley's Boalt Hall, graduating in 2003. As a published author in peer-reviewed journals and textbooks in both professions, she is recognized as an authority on the intersection between medicine and the law.

Melinda came to the Walkup Law Firm after her graduation from Boalt Hall in 2003 and had an immediate impact in serving our clients, with the focus on medical malpractice, birth injury, medical device, and wrongful death cases. In relatively short time, she has gained extensive trial and arbitration experience.

Melinda is a member of the State Bar of California, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Bar Association of San Francisco, Consumer Attorneys of California, and American Association for Justice.

Medical Malpractice
Medical Devices
Injuries to Children
Birth Injuries
Cerebral Palsy
Labor & Delivery Negligence

Verdicts & Settlements

Injured Newborn and Mother v. Obstetricians and Hospital Medical Negligence/ Birth Injury $3,650,000 Settlement

Jastrab v. Ling Medical Negligence/ Orthopedic Infection $3,162,000 Jury Verdict

Confidential v. Cardiac Surgeon and Hospital Medical Negligence/ Post-Op Cardiac Arrest $3,200,000 Settlement

Dismukes v. Tam Medical Negligence/Wrongful Death $1,790,000 Jury Verdict

Family v. Medical Device Maker Product Liability/Wrongful Death $1,190,000 settlement

Family v. Major Medical Center Medical Negligence/Post-op Hyponatremia/Wrongful Death $975,000 Settlement

Confidential v. Obstetrician and Anesthesiologist Medical Negligence/Post-Partum Hemorrhage/Wrongful Death $875,000 Settlement

Family v. HMO Medical Negligence/ Aortic Dissection/ Wrongful Death $800,000 Settlement

Family v. HMO Medical Negligence/ Pulmonary Embolism/ Wrongful Death $575,000 Settlement

Confidential v. HMO Medical Negligence/ Delayed Diagnosis of Cancer $500,000

Pedestrian v. Automobile Driver Vehicular Negligence $300,000 Settlement