Meet Attorney General-Elect Derek Brown

Derek Brown is a prominent Utah attorney and former Chairman of the Utah Republican Party with a strong commitment to conservative principles, and a fervent desire to safeguard the integrity of the Constitution. He has practiced law with two of the largest law firms in the country and served as a law clerk with the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

While serving as a member of the Utah House of Representatives, Brown served on the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee. As a member of the House, he was a stalwart advocate for conservative values, including: cutting taxes, supporting law enforcement, reducing burdensome government regulations, and resisting encroachment by the federal government.

When called upon by Senator Mike Lee, Derek voluntarily left the legislature to become Senator Lee’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Utah State Director. There he joined Senator Lee in his daily fight to restore constitutionally-limited government to our nation and protect Utah’s 10th Amendment rights.

Derek’s legal career spans distinguished roles in both public service and private practice. As an Adjunct Professor of Communications Law at Brigham Young University, he brings real-world expertise to the classroom. He served as Legal Counsel to two U.S. Senators, advising on critical issues both in Washington D.C. and Utah. In the Utah House of Representatives, he contributed to the Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice, Judiciary, and Rules Committees, serving as Vice Chair of the latter. Derek has also practiced constitutional and appellate law alongside Senator Mike Lee at Sidley Austin LLP in Washington, D.C., and has additional experience in litigation and appellate law with Mayer Brown. Early in his career, he clerked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and served as Editor in Chief of the Pepperdine Law Review before earning his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine School of Law.

Derek and his wife Emilie are both accomplished musicians. They met through music, he on the piano and Emilie singing. When not working, they are at home around the piano with their four children.  

Their children have continued Derek and Emilie’s musical legacy. Their oldest, Alex, is a trained singer and performed as a beatboxer in BYU’s Vocal Point. Zachary is a violinist, singer, and pianist. Eliza is a singer, and pianist, and loves to participate in musical theater. Their youngest son Spencer is 11 and a talented cellist. Their home is always full of music, family, and friends - and they simply wouldn’t have it any other way.