Carl Hagwood is a founding shareholder of the firm and practices in the firm’s Greenville, Mississippi and Charlotte, North Carolina offices. Carl serves on the Board of Directors and is the President of the firm. He has defended general casualty claims, medical malpractice claims against physicians and hospitals, and medical negligence claims against nursing home and assisted living providers in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, Colorado, South Carolina, and Florida. Carl and his trial team employ innovative approaches using multiple media visual technology in the complex medical negligence and long term care cases that he defends. As a result, he and his trial team have been requested to give demonstrations of this technology to panel counsel members for leading medical malpractice insurers and at long term care panel counsel meetings. Carl has given these demonstrations at both national and regional meetings to demonstrate to other lawyers who are defending medical malpractice and long term care negligence cases the visual tools necessary to try complex cases with challenging medical and staffing issues.

Carl has served the Bar as a member of the Bar Associations of each of the states where he is licensed to practice. His service includes Chairperson of the Medical Malpractice Section of the Mississippi State Bar Association, President of the Local Bar Association, and service on numerous Bar Committees through the years. He is a member of the Washington County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Mississippi State Bar, Alabama State Bar, Tennessee State Bar, North Carolina State Bar, Arkansas State Bar, American Society of Hospital Attorneys, Defense Research Institute, Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association, American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Mississippi Bar Foundation. Carl holds the AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability, and is listed in the Best Lawyers in America in Health Care Law and in Super Lawyers in Medical Malpractice Defense.

Carl is an active member of his community and is a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, Mississippi, where he has served as Elder and Deacon. He has served his community as President of the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce, President of the Greenville United Way, and on numerous local boards, including the YMCA and Industrial Foundation. Carl enjoys hunting and wildlife photography.

Best Lawyers Award Badge

Education

  • J.D., University of Mississippi School of Law, Editorial Board, Member, Mississippi Law Journal; Phi Alpha Delta, 1968
  • B.A., Political Science, Millsaps College, 1965

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • North Carolina
  • Mississippi
  • Tennessee
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Honors and Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America, 1995 – 2018
  • Super Lawyers, 2009 – 2018
  • American Society of Legal Advocates
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating™ from Martindale-Hubbell®
  • Medical Professional Liability Association’s (MPLA) 2022 Industry Defender Award (IDA) recipient

Professional and Community Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • American Society of Hospital Attorneys
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Mississippi Bar Association
  • Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
  • Mississippi State Bar, Health Law Section, Chair (1996-1997)
  • Mississippi Tort Claims Board
  • National Academy of Jurisprudence
  • Washington County, President (1995)

Clerkships

  • Hon. Claude F. Clayton, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Past Employment Positions

  • State of Mississippi, Bond Attorney (1989-1992)

Presentations

  • Presenter, Dementia – The Evolution Process, Defense Panel Counsel Meeting, Mar. 1, 2016