Qualifications

Professional Experience

Criminal Defense
Defense of individuals accused of crimes ranging from Murder, Sexual Battery, and Drug Trafficking to DUI and shoplifting.
• Numerous high-profile cases handled including multiple jury trials.
• Appeared on The O’Reilly Factor twice as expert on sex crimes in Florida.
• Frequent Court TV guest commentator including Nancy Grace show.
• Numerous articles and quotations in local newspapers.

Personal Injury
Plaintiff’s personal injury trial attorney.
• Litigated through jury trial numerous personal injury cases including record-setting $5.6 million dollar jury verdict in November 2004. 

Civil Litigation Defense
In-house counsel for companies including United Health Care/Manatee Memorial Hospital and Horizon Bank.

OFFICE OF STATE ATTORNEY, 12th Judicial Circuit, Bradenton, Florida
Assistant State Attorney (1994-2002)

Major Crimes/Sex Crimes Division
Responsible for prosecution of child sex crimes and violent career criminals facing life in prison.
• Prosecuted cases in Manatee, Sarasota, Desoto and Pinellas Counties including 1st Degree Murder, 2nd Degree Murder, DUI Manslaughter, Capital Sexual Battery, Carjacking, Armed Robbery, Drug Trafficking, and Political Corruption.
• Several high-profile cases handled with vast media coverage including Court TV.
• Numerous personal references and quotations in newspapers statewide.
• Over 100 jury trials and 19 “Life” in prison sentences.

Sexually Violent Predator Prosecutor
Responsible for the prosecution and involuntary civil commitment of Sexually Violent Predators under Florida’s new law commonly known as the “Jimmy Ryce Act.”
• Successfully committed 5 (4 via jury trial and 1 via plea) of the first 50 sexually violent predators committed Statewide under the new law.

GREGORY H. ARABIAN & ASSOCIATES, Cambridge, Massachusetts
ATTORNEY (1993-1994)
• Negotiated, litigated, and settled major cases in plaintiff’s personal injury firm.

COMMUNITY SERVICE/EXPERIENCE

NEW GATE MONTESSORI SCHOOL, Sarasota, Florida 
Chairman Board of Trustees (2007-2009)

MANATEE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION, Bradenton, Florida
PRESIDENT (2005-2006)

HIGH SCHOOL MOCK TRIAL COACH (1998-2004)
Various positions held (1996-2005)

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF LAW, Gainesville, Florida
ALUMNI COUNCIL (1993-)
• Class representative responsible for fund-raising efforts on behalf of law school.

MANATEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Bradenton, Florida
PARALEGAL STUDIES BOARD MEMBER (2005-)
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR (1999-2001)
• Taught three-hour weekly Business Law course.

GULF COAST FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION, Sarasota, Florida
FOOTBALL OFFICIAL (1997-)
• Varsity football official for Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte county schools.

FLORIDA PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS ASSOC.,Tallahassee, Florida
LECTURER (1999-2002)
• Frequent lecturer at Statewide training seminars on topics including DUI, Child Sex Crimes, and Sexually Violent Predators.

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF LAW, Gainesville ,Florida
JURIS DOCTOR WITH HONORS (1993)

TUFTS UNIVERSITY, College of Engineering, Medford, Massachusetts
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING (1990)

BELMONT HIGH SCHOOL, Belmont, Massachusetts
CLASS OF 1986

BAR ADMISSIONS/BOARD CERTIFICATIONS

FLORIDA (1993)
MASSACHUSETTS (1993)
11TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS (1994)
DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA (1994)
CRIMINAL TRIAL LAW - FLORIDA (1999)

Gregory S. Hagopian, P.A.
1101 6th Avenue West, Suite 204, Bradenton, FL 34205
(2nd Floor, Walcaid Building - Directly South of  Courthouse)
Phone: (941) 747-6630   |   Email: greghagopian@hotmail.com