Derek Bluford is an entrepreneur, legal advocate, and justice reform leader whose work is grounded in lived experience and legal education. A former federal inmate, Derek personally pursued legal action against the Federal Bureau of Prisons, an experience that exposed the significant barriers incarcerated people face when trying to assert their rights. That journey now informs his commitment to expanding access to legal knowledge and tools for people in custody.

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Earlier in life, Derek earned a degree in legal studies and became a certified paralegal. After his release, he went on to attend law school at the University of West Los Angeles (UWLA). Alongside his legal education, and prior to incarceration he built and led innovative projects at the intersection of law, technology, and access to justice.

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Derek is the creator of a legal services app that won California Tech Week, standing out among hundreds of competing companies for its innovation and impact. His work has been recognized across the legal profession, including having his company displayed on the cover of California Lawyer. He has also served as a panel member at Stanford Law School, contributing to discussions on legal innovation and the future of law. Apart from this, Derek's legal startup won the NBA Kings Capitalize competition, Entrepreneur Magazine's Growth Conference, and was selected from Silicon Valley's exclusive incubator and accelerator program 500 Startups.
 

​Through this website and The Litigation Guide, Derek brings together his lived experience, formal legal training, and a network of attorneys, paralegals, and legal aid organizations to help others navigate the legal system with greater clarity and confidence.