Derek G. Gay

Derek G. Gay is an attorney at Gonser and Gonser, P.A., practicing primarily from the firm’s Georgetown office. His work focuses on criminal defense and petitions for protection from abuse in Family Court. He represents clients whose matters require an understanding of police investigations, criminal charges, or protective-order proceedings. A former Delaware prosecutor, he brings firsthand knowledge of how criminal cases are investigated, charged, and presented in court.

Gay graduated from the University of Delaware in 2012 and Delaware Law School, formerly identified as Widener University’s law school, in 2015. He was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 2015. During law school he interned with Stumpf, Vickers and Sandy, P.A., and subsequently worked there as an associate in criminal and family law. His early training and practice established a foundation in both courtroom work and client representation in sensitive legal matters.

From 2016 until returning to private practice, Gay served as a Deputy Attorney General and prosecuted cases ranging from traffic offenses to homicide. He led a drug prosecution unit and handled significant felony drug matters. In 2022 he joined The Smith Firm, where his work included criminal defense, family law, real estate, and personal injury. He joined Gonser and Gonser in January 2024 and has appeared in multiple Delaware trial courts.

Gay was named a Delaware Today Top Lawyer for 2024 and has been included in The National Trial Lawyers’ Top 40 Under 40 for criminal defense in Delaware. His work on protection-from-abuse petitions also drew a Coastal Magazine nomination. He uses his knowledge of prosecution and courtroom procedure to assess potential approaches to criminal and family-court matters. Derek G. Gay focuses on legal advocacy informed by substantial trial and investigation experience.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Gonser and Gonser, P.A.
• Member, Delaware State Bar Association

Licensed State

• Delaware

Education

• Widener University Schools of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Delaware
  Bachelors degree

Awards & Badges