After high school, Darren enlisted in the United States Navy and served for 6 years primarily as an Electronics Technician. Between 1996 and 2002, he was stationed onboard two aircraft carriers, the USS Kittyhawk CV-63 in Yokosuka, Japan, and the USS Constellation CV-64 in San Diego, California. Darren also served one year tour on Diego Garcia, a remote island near the equator in the Indian Ocean. While in the Navy, Darren earned three Navy Achievement Medals, two good conduct medals, and was both Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist and Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist qualified. Darren was also a firefighter and assisted with damage control throughout the ships.
After the Navy, Darren attended college at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale using the Illinois Veterans Grant and the Montgomery GI Bill. In May, 2005, he received his bachelors degree in Electronics Systems Technologies. He then moved to California for a career opportunity. There, he volunteer coached little league baseball and met his future wife, Hillary.
After Darren attended a personal growth seminar, he realized it was time to challenge himself and to change careers. He then took the law school entrance exam and applied to various schools. Upon finding that he still had Veteran education benefits available in Illinois, he chose to return to Illinois and to attend Southern Illinois University School of Law. In his first summer, Darren went overseas to Ireland and studied the Law of European Union in a study abroad program hosted by the University of Missouri School of Law.
In his second year of law school, Darren helped found the Veterans Legal Assistance Program. The program provided free, pro-bono legal service to veterans that had been previously denied claims by the Veterans Administration. During the summer of his second year, Darren practiced law as a certified law clerk in California for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. Under the supervision of an attorney, he successfully prosecuted felony criminal preliminary hearings on behalf of the State. Before heading back to Illinois, Darren and Hillary exchanged vows and were married in Ventura County, California.
In his final year of law school, Darren served as the Vice President of Administrative Affairs for the Southern Illinois University Graduate and Professional Student Government. Additionally, Darren served as the President of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International, Stephen Douglas Chapter. He is still active with the Phi Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter in Nashville and regularly volunteers to judge mock trial competitions for both colleges and high schools.
During school and other breaks, Darren and Hillary regularly visited Memphis, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Chattanooga, and Gatlinburg. They both fell in love with Tennessee’s natural beauty, it’s music, and the kindness and pride of it’s people. They moved to Murfreesboro immediately after law school graduation and made it their home.
Darren devotes himself to his local community as a volunteer firefighter for the Lascassas Volunteer Fire Department.
In 2011, Darren teamed up with established Attorneys John Drake and Tom Frost to form Drake Drake & Frost – An Association of Attorneys.
Darren Drake, Assistant – Kellie Finnie, John Drake, and Tom Frost
Darren is a member of the Rutherford & Cannon County Bar Association.
Darren represents clients in multiple areas of law in Rutherford County, Davidson County, Cannon County, Coffee County, Bedford County, Wilson County, and the central Tennessee area.
Darren Drake
Attorney at Law
120 East Main Street, 3rd Floor
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 410 – 3919