When UNC Asheville alumnus Derek Allen was a student, he commanded attention on the tennis court. Now, this young lawyer earns respect in the court room.

Allen has been named "Young Gun" among North Carolina's Legal Elite in the January 2008 issue of Business North Carolina magazine. Based on a poll of more than 600 North Carolina lawyers, Allen was selected as the best lawyer in the state under age 40. A partner at Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP in Greensboro, Allen specializes in land use and development and general business litigation.

Allen, a Greensboro native, attended UNC Asheville on a tennis scholarship. He excelled on the court and in the classroom. He graduated magna cum laude in 1993 with degrees in political science and history and distinction as a University Research Scholar. He earned a law degree from UNC Chapel Hill in 1997.

Despite an impressive schedule filled with professional obligations and civic involvement, Allen is also an active member of UNC Asheville's National Alumni Council.

"Derek is a very important member of the board. He has an expansive vision and offers ideas from outside the box" said Kevan Frazier, UNC Asheville Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni. "Most importantly, he's passionate about his Alma Mater."