Derek Smith

Derek is an enthusiastic and zealous advocate in the courtroom! Derek is a seasoned trial attorney who loves jury trials and crafting creative legal arguments. Prior to joining Byler Iaquinto, Derek worked as a Public Defender in Norfolk, VA for nearly four years, where he handled approximately 1,000 cases in Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. He handles felony and misdemeanor matters, as well as matters involving juvenile defendants, including, but not limited to, felony drug offenses, felony probation violations, property crimes, violent crimes, weapons offenses, and traffic offenses, among others. Derek was recognized as the Public Practitioner of the Year by the South Hampton Roads Bar Association in 2020. Derek was born in Norfolk and grew up in the Western Branch area of Chesapeake. He graduated from Norfolk State University in 2015 with a degree in History. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2018. Derek has a passion for music and exercises no less than five days a week!

Nikeva Bailey

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

SACKS & SACKS. P.C.

Associate Attorney, May 2022 – January 2023

Covering cases across the Commonwealth for the Lead Attorney. While primarily requesting continuances, they also conducted bail hearings and various substantive motions, and conducted misdemeanor and traffic trials. Trained in Personal Injury law.

OFFICE OF THE NORFOLK PUBLIC DEFENDER, Norfolk, VA

Part-Time Attorney, December 2021 – September 2022

Conducted trials, hearings, and appeals on Misdemeanors.

NIKI BAILEY ATTORNEY AT LAW, Norfolk, VA (Formerly, The Bailey Law Group, P.C.)

Owner, September 2012 – April 2021

Established as a sole proprietor, with a primary focus on serious felonies and traffic matters, to include filing appropriate motions, identifying legal issues, and preserving the record. Obtained some appellate experience arguing before the Virginia Court of Appeals. Practiced some family law, and recently became certified as a Guardian Ad Litem.

THE COOPER LAW FIRM, Hampton, VA (Formerly Bullock & Cooper, P.C.)

Associate Attorney, September 2011 – September 2012

Represented clients in criminal, specialized civil, and family law matters in general district and circuit courts, including traffic offenses, petitions, and uncontested divorces. Resolved matters through trials, mediations, and negotiations. Engaged in Community Outreach.

BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE, Hampton, VA

Adjunct Instructor, May 2011 – May 2014

Taught paralegal studies and criminal justice, utilizing text and digital media, while incorporating Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Socratic method. Taught students how to draft pleadings and other legal documents. Introduced court procedures by observation, mock exercises, and guest speakers currently employed in the legal field. Also allowed internship opportunities in my office.

OFFICE OF THE HAMPTON PUBLIC DEFENDER, Hampton, VA

Assistant Public Defender I, September 2006 – April 2011

Represented indigent persons in criminal matters. Met with clients often at correctional facilities, reviewing discovery and conducting individual investigations with our private investigators. Performed extensive legal research and writing in preparation for bench and jury trials. Engaged in plea negotiations as trial alternatives, appreciating true value in oral and written communication techniques.

THE HONORABLE RHYS S. HODGE, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court, St. Thomas, VI

Law Clerk, September 2005 – August 2006

Observed pre-trial and in-chambers conferences, proceedings, bench and jury trials. Conducted legal research and drafted judicial opinions applying local and federal laws to a gamut of matters involving civil, criminal, and jurisdictional issues. Prepared orders and assisted in deciding current and post-conviction relief. Received formal training and conducted Small Claims dispute mediation.

THE HONORABLE BETTY J. LESTER, J.S.C., Criminal Division, Newark, NJ

Law Clerk, September 2004 – September 2005

Observed Court. Conducted legal research and drafted judicial opinions regarding procedural and substantive criminal law. Learned the importance of general motion practice to include the application of sentencing factors and guidelines, Rules of Evidence, and Rules of Court, as well as the constitutional implications of non-jury fact finding and the general practice of law.

Troy Johnson, Jr.

Troy has advised hospitals and health systems, long-term care providers, behavioral health providers, and physician groups on an array of regulatory matters, including telehealth and telemedicine, corporate practice of medicine (CPOM), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Anti-Kickback Statute, and the Stark law. Troy’s transactional experience includes providing counsel to physician group practices on sales or stock purchases, change of licensure issues, and assignment and change of ownership provisions. He has also assisted clients with various litigation matters, including professional discipline, risk management, and malpractice. Troy has also been named to Best Lawyers® "Ones to Watch" for Health Care Law (2024-present) and is a member of the Virginia State Bar Health Law Section's board of governors. Troy also serves as a member of the CancerLinc Advocate Board. Troy earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Richmond School of Law, where he was vice president of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Society and a member of the Black Law Students Association. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from William & Mary, where he majored in kinesiology and health sciences with a pre-med minor.

Dywona 'Dee' Vantree-Keller

I count motherhood as my greatest accomplishment, and I prefer the titles “Dance Mom,” “Cheer Mom“, and “Volleyball Mom” to “Esquire.” God has entrusted my husband and me with two amazing daughters, and I never wanted to miss a moment of the precious years of childhood. So for over twenty years, I was a Solo Practitioner operating as DVKLAW. I’ve made every awards assembly, science fair, sporting event, and recital, and I have never missed an opportunity to chaperone a field trip or to serve as “Room Mom” or ‘Team Mom.” Whew!

But now that my children are older, and I’m more of a “smother” than a “mother,” I've transitioned to public service. I joined the Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia in August 2023, and I serve as the "Homeless Veterans Staff Attorney" in the Disability Rights and Homeless Outreach Unit (DRUHOP). I bring more than three decades of legal experience to the position.

In private practice, my primary practice areas were criminal defense and family law. I spent six years honing my trial skills as a prosecutor for the City of Hampton, and I am regarded as a specialist in juvenile criminal defense. I have served as Special Counsel for the Division of Child Support Enforcement, and I can help you navigate Virginia’s complex child support provisions and safeguard your financial future. I have been certified by the Virginia Supreme Court to serve as Guardian ad litem for children since 2002, so I am well equipped to assist you in highly contested custody cases. I have received hundreds of hours of training in child development and family dynamics and disfunction, and I can help you protect your children.

Virginia is not my first home. I was born in Louisiana ‘round da’ bayou. I was born at a time when people who looked like me lived on “our side” of the levy and went to “our” schools. There were men in fancy suits who would come and sit in the living room with my Papa. They talked about two things, changing the “rules” that kept us separated by that levy and my MaDear’s peach cobbler. That cobbler was legendary!

I think I was about four years old when I learned that those men in fancy suits were called “lawyers,” and they had to go to a place called “court” to change those “rules.” I remember them talking about a lawyer named Thurgood Marshall who became the first African American Justice to serve on the United States Supreme Court in 1967, the year that I was born. I suppose that’s why I’ve never wanted to be anything other than a lawyer.

When I’m not lawyerin’, I’m screaming all of the lyrics to my favorite songs at a live concert. Music is my Prozac! And when I’m not chasing pop stars, I’m planning my next trip to Disney World. I’ve served my community for more than thirty years as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. I am a proud alumna of The Alma Mater of a Nation, The College of William and Mary, and I continue to support the Tribe as a Class Ambassador for the Class of 1989. And as a 1992 graduate of Tulane University Law School, I know what it means to miss New Orleans. Roll Wave!

And like every woman lucky enough to have been born in Louisiana, I love to cook. My peach cobbler is not as legendary as MaDear’s, but I fix a mean pot of gumbo!

Natasha Phidd

Natasha “Tash” N. Phidd, originally from Long Island, New York, received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her J.D. from William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Virginia. She is admitted to practice law in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Ms. Phidd brings a breadth of legal experience to her practice—she kicked off her career as an attorney representing plaintiffs and employee claimants in personal injury and workers’ compensation matters, respectively. Ms. Phidd then practiced in the criminal law space as a dedicated public defender in Northern Virginia, where she tried and resolved numerous cases for juvenile and adult clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges. Currently, she practices in the employment law arena, where she fights for justice for plaintiff employees throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

When she is not lawyering, Ms. Phidd enjoys trivia and board game nights with friends, exploring various restaurants in the DMV area, dancing, visiting her family, reading, and watching “Survivor”. She also is a big fan of “dad jokes” (and tells some pretty great ones as well).

Education:

Princeton University (A.B., 2013)

William and Mary Law School (J.D., 2019)

Dean’s Certificate

William & Mary Law School Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

William & Mary Law School National Moot Court Team

William & Mary Law School Innocence Project Clinic

Professional Memberships/Organizations:

Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (VTLA)

National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA)

Bar Admissions:

Virginia

District of Columbia

Speaking Engagements:

2021 – “Turning the Corner – Trial Prep and Strategy in the New Normal: Best Practices in the Newly Expanded General District Court” (VTLA) – Panelist

2022 – “Tough Talks: Race, Gender and Challenges in Law” (VTLA) – Panelist

2024 – “Young Trial Lawyers Retreat – The Next Leg: The Race Continues” (VTLA) – Chair and Panelist

2024 – “Young Trial Lawyer Advocacy Panel & Networking Reception at University of Richmond School of Law” (VTLA) – Panelist

2024 – 2024 VTLA Annual Convention – “Educating the Bench Through Advocacy” – Speaker

2025 – “New Trial Lawyer Advocacy Panel & Networking Reception at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School” (VTLA) – Panelist

Publications:

A Call of Duty to Counterstrike: Cyberharassment and the Toxic Gaming Culture Plaguing Female Gamers and Developers. William & Mary Law School Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice (2019)

Tips for Discovery in Workers’ Compensation Cases with Third-Party Claims. VTLA Journal, Vol. 29, Num. 2 (2022), Co-Authored.

Awards:

WILG Top Injured Workers’ Attorneys (June 2022)