Mark Geragos
Mark John Geragos (born October 5, 1957) is an American criminal defense attorney who defended the musician Michael Jackson, actress Winona Ryder, politician Gary Condit, and Susan McDougal. He was also involved in the Whitewater scandal. He also represented Scott Peterson, in another trial that received widespread media attention.Geragos represented suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield, Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal, two brothers injured after a tiger escaped in San Francisco Zoo, and musician Chris Brown, who pleaded guilty in the assault of his then girlfriend Rihanna. In addition, he assisted the family of David Carradine during the investigation of his accidental auto-erotica induced death.He is considered a "celebrity lawyer".
Geragos was born in Los Angeles, California. He attended high school at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada, CA., and graduated with honors. He received his bachelor's degree from Haverford College in 1979 and his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Loyola Law School in 1982.He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1983. Currently, Geragos is the managing partner at The Law Offices of Geragos and Geragos, a 13-person law firm in Los Angeles. Geragos handles criminal defense and civil litigation.
An Armenian-American, Geragos maintains his close relationship with the Armenian community.He has earned praise from the Armenian National Committee of AmericaHe serves on the Advisory Committee of Birthright Armenia, as the chairman of Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry,and also is involved with the Armenian religious community. He has been a member of the Armenia Fund International Board of Trustees since 2006.
Geragos was one of the lead lawyers in a pair of groundbreaking federal class action lawsuits against New York Life Insurance and AXA for insurance policies issued in the early 20th century during the time of the Armenian Genocide of more than 1.5 million Armenians. The two cases settled for over $37.5 million in 2004 and 2005. The settlement was in 2009 overturned by the US Federal Court, ruling that "No Armenian American can sue foreign insurance companies for unpaid claims because the U.S. government doesn't legally recognize that an Armenian genocide occurred."
Geragos represented actor Keith Carradine, actress Hayley DuMond, attorney Stephen Kolodny, designer Donna Dubrow and Lee DuMond in a class-action suit following private eye Anthony Pellicano's illegal wiretapping conspiracy and subsequent conviction.
