Mr. Dermody was raised in Seattle, and graduated from The University of Washington in 1971 with B.A. in Finance. Shortly thereafter, he joined what became the Office of Thrift Supervision (now merged into the Comptroller of the Currency), which regulated savings and loans and federal savings banks. His career as a thrift regulator involved safety and soundness oversight of institutions for accounting issues, real estate valuation, and credit underwriting. He was stationed in Chicago initially, where he was responsible for oversight of the largest institutions in the region, and then moved to Dallas in 1983, to help strengthen the oversight of some of the most financially distressed institutions in the country. After the closing of many failed institutions, he participated in extensive criminal prosecution of former industry executives, and in civil enforcement actions against current executives who had violated industry safety and soundness standards.

He attended Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, Ft. Worth, Texas (sold to Texas A&M), and graduated magna cum laude in 1996, and was admitted to the Texas State Bar the same year. His private practice was limited to pro bono work for a local AIDS clinic, advising family members on estate and will issues.

He and his family moved to Seattle at the end of 1997 and he was admitted to the Washington State Bar in 1998. He commenced his practice as general counsel for an internationally recognized firm advising software companies.

Mr. Dermody joined Anderson, Fields, Dermody & McIlwain, Inc., P.S. in July, 2002, and specializes in all family law related actions, including parentage actions, modifications of child support, parenting plans and custodial arrangements, as well as dissolution actions.

Mr. Dermody also does pro bono work at neighborhood legal clinics.