Nicholas P. Panagakis

Biography Overview

Nicholas P. Panagakis has practiced law since 1997 and is admitted to the Florida Bar. He was born and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area before moving to the Tampa Bay, Florida area in 1983, where he graduated from Dunedin High School in 1990. Mr. Panagakis then attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and graduated in 1994. While in College, he was Chief Justice of the Student Hearing Board, as well as a two-term President and founding father of Tau Kappa Epsilon International Fraternity. In his senior year of College, Mr. Panagakis was honored as the top undergraduate member of the International Fraternity. Finally, Nicholas attended Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he obtained his law degree in 1997 with an emphasis in trial practice.

Mr. Panagakis began his legal career at the State Attorney’s Office for Orange and Osceola Counties upon his graduation from law school in 1997. During his years at the State Attorney’s Office, he prosecuted and tried misdemeanors and felonies; including drug offenses, sex crimes, and manslaughter. Upon leaving the State Attorney’s Office, Nicholas joined a civil defense firm. He practiced out of the firm’s Orlando and Melbourne, Florida offices for over seven years and ultimately became a Partner at the firm. Mr. Panagakis litigated and tried cases throughout the state of Florida for his clients comprised of various insurance companies, governmental agencies, trucking lines, grocery stores, and automobile parts and repair shops. In early 2007, Mr. Panagakis joined Morgan and Morgan, P.A. and he exclusively represents individuals and families who have been injured in accidents due to the negligence of others. Mr. Panagakis was voted a Rising Star by Florida Super Lawyers in 2009-2010. This distinction is awarded to the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state. In 2011, Mr. Panagakis was voted into the The National Trial Lawyers Association: Top 40 under 40, which is a professional organization comprised of America’s top young trial attorneys. Membership into The National Trial Lawyers Association: Top 40 under 40 is by invitation only and is extended exclusively to those individuals who exemplify superior qualifications, trial results, and leadership as a young lawyer under the age of 40. Selection is based on a thorough multi-phase process which includes peer nominations combined with third-party research.

Mr. Panagakis is married to his wife, Heather, and is the proud father of four children, Ella, Sophia, Anna, and Peter. He remains active in his community and church having served on the parish council executive committee. He is a partner and shareholder in the firm.

Practice Areas

• Personal Injury
• Wrongful Death

Recent Successes

• Diperna v. Umberger

  $625,000.00

  Verdict - 2011

• Blackwell v. Simmons

  $900,000.00

  Verdict - 2015

• Mighty v. Sea World of FL, LLC d/b/a Aquatica

  $227,635.70

  Verdict - 2014

Memberships

• Florida Bar
• The United States Supreme Court of America
• The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
• Northern, Middle, and Southern District Courts of Florida
• American Association for Justice
• Florida Justice Association

Education

• Rollins College, B.A. in History, 1994
• Stetson University College of Law, J.D., 1997

Languages

• English
• Greek