Mark Geragos Biography

(Lawyer)

Birthday: October 5, 1957 (Libra)

Born In: Los Angeles, California

Mark Geragos is an Armenian-American lawyer who has attained celebrity status thanks to his distinguished clientele of NFL players, Hollywood stars and political bigwigs. He is also a principal partner in the law firm ‘Geragos & Geragos’. The veteran lawyer boasts a client list that includes NFL legend Colin Kaepernick, Oscar-nominated actress Winona Ryder, R&B singer Chris Brown and former Bill Clinton associate Susan McDougal. His success and popularity can be further ascertained from the fact that he is one of the only two US lawyers to be ever named ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in both criminal and civil sectors. Named “One of the 100 Most Influential Attorneys in California” by California Law Business Magazine, Geragos has won several landmark cases. These include getting a presidential pardon for Susan McDougal, avoiding a jail term for Winona Ryder, and the defense of actor Jussie Smollett. He achieved a formidable reputation when he emerged victorious in two landmark lawsuits against New York Life Insurance and AXA. However, he also controversially tried to defend notorious murderers Scott Peterson and Cameron Brown. He unsuccessfully tried to defend Greg Anderson for failing to testify in a perjury case against Barry Bonds. More recently, he has been named the alleged co-conspirator in the Nike extortion case against celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti.
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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Mark John Geragos

Age: 67 Years, 67 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Paulette (Kassabian) Geragos

father: Paul Geragos

mother: Betty Jane Geragos

children: Teny Geragos

Lawyers American Men

U.S. State: California

City: Los Angeles

More Facts

education: Flintridge Preparatory School, Haverford College, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University

  • 1

    Is Mark Geragos still practicing law?

    Yes, Mark Geragos is still actively practicing law as a criminal defense attorney.
  • 2

    Has Mark Geragos ever been involved in high-profile cases?

    Yes, Mark Geragos has been involved in various high-profile cases over the years, representing clients such as Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, and Scott Peterson.
  • 3

    What are some notable legal victories for Mark Geragos?

    Mark Geragos has achieved legal victories in cases such as securing a not guilty verdict for Scott Peterson in a high-profile murder trial and successfully negotiating a plea deal for Chris Brown in a felony assault case.
  • 4

    Does Mark Geragos have a particular legal specialization?

    Mark Geragos specializes in criminal defense law and has built a reputation for his expertise in handling high-profile criminal cases.
  • 5

    Is Mark Geragos active on social media?

    Yes, Mark Geragos is active on social media platforms like Twitter, where he shares insights on legal issues and updates on his cases.
Childhood & Early Life
Mark John Geragos was born on October 5, 1957, in Los Angeles, California, to lawyer Paul Geragos and Betty Jane Geragos. Mark started his education at Flintridge Preparatory School, La Cañada, California.
Before embarking on a legal career, he graduated with honors in anthropology and sociology from Haverford College in 1979. He then earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Loyola Law School in 1982. After being admitted to the State Bar of California in 1983, he joined his father’s law firm ‘Geragos & Geragos’.
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Career
Mark Geragos started his career as a promoter for ‘The Raymond Theatre’ in Pasadena. He worked there from 1979 until 1982 and successfully booked bands like ‘The Pretenders’ and ‘Missing Persons’.
After getting out of law school and joining his father’s firm, Geragos really came into his own. In the first two years, he was the lawyer for the then vice president of American Savings, accused of 16 counts of fraud.
As a lawyer, Geragos gained national fame in the USA when he represented the former business aide of President Bill Clinton, Susan McDougal. He first successfully represented the “Whitewater criminal” McDougal in an embezzlement trial. He gained the ultimate victory when he managed to get a full presidential pardon for her on January 20, 2001.
In December 2002, Geragos represented Hollywood actress Winona Ryder, who was accused of stealing merchandise worth more than $5000. He managed to get her a probation and counseling.
In 2003, he started defending Michael Jackson, who was charged with molesting 13 years old Gavin Arvizo. However, Jackson removed Geragos as his lawyer in April 2004 because of the latter’s commitment to another client.
One of his clients was the notorious murderer Scott Peterson, who was accused of killing his pregnant wife. Geragos lost the case when Peterson was given the death penalty in March 2004.
Geragos’s two biggest career victories came in 2004 - 2005. He was one of the leading lawyers in two federal class action lawsuits. The lawsuits were filed against New York Life Insurance and AXA Corporation for insurance fraud during the Armenian Genocide. In 2005, both companies agreed to pay a sum total of more than $37.5 million to victims and charities.
In addition to criminal law, Geragos also cemented his legacy as a civil defense lawyer by winning two major landmark cases against big companies. On March 3, 2008, the owner of XtraJet was ordered to pay $20 million for illegally filming Michael Jackson in 2003.
In December 2008, he emerged victorious in the San Bruno nonprofit Ischemia Research and Education Foundation VS Pfizer lawsuit. The pharmaceutical giant was ordered to pay $38 million for stealing the trade secrets of a pain relief drug from the nonprofit.
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Never shying away from controversies, Geragos found himself under media scrutiny when he started representing Cameron Brown. Cameron was finally found guilty and sentenced to life in prison on September 18, 2015, for murdering his four years old daughter.
Geragos represented singer Chris Brown who was found guilty of physically assaulting popstar Rihanna. Brown pleaded guilty on June 22, 2009, and was sentenced to probation and community service.
Geragos has recently been named in the legal team of Jussie Smollett. The actor was indicted for paying two men to stage a racial attack. However, all charges have been dropped against him.
In March 2019, the celebrity lawyer again made headlines for allegedly co-conspiring in the ‘Nike’ extortion case against lawyer Michael Avenatti.
Awards & Achievements
Mark Geragos is a famous member of the Armenian National Committee of America. He also serves as a member of the Advisory Committee of Birthright Armenia and the chairman of Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
Due to his work for the betterment of the Armenian community, he was awarded Professional of The Year by the Armenian Professional Society.
Family & Personal Life
Mark Geragos is married to Paulette ‘Kassabian’ Geragos. They have a daughter named Teny Geragos and a son called Jake Geragos.
Facts About Mark Geragos
Mark Geragos is known for representing high-profile clients such as Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder, and Chris Brown.
He is a frequent guest on television shows and has appeared on programs like CNN, Larry King Live, and Good Morning America.
Geragos is an avid art collector and has a passion for supporting emerging artists.
He is a proud supporter of various charities and has been involved in fundraising efforts for causes such as cancer research and domestic violence prevention.
In his free time, Geragos enjoys cooking and has even shared some of his favorite recipes in interviews and cookbooks.

See the events in life of Mark Geragos in Chronological Order

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Article Title
- Mark Geragos Biography
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URL
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