Described as a legal “powerhouse” by the Dallas Morning News, Mr. Hagood is one of the most sought-after trial attorneys in the State, representing companies and individuals entangled in the criminal justice system, from initial investigation through trial.

Mr. Hagood is a graduate of the University of South Carolina (B.A. in History and International Studies) and SMU Dedman School of Law. Upon graduation from college, he served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

In 1991, Mr. Hagood voluntarily returned to active duty with the Marines and served with USMC ground combat forces in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

After law school, Mr. Hagood served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. By the time of his resignation, Mr. Hagood was recognized as one of the top prosecutors in the State, having sought and obtained death sentences in eight capital murder trials. Mr. Hagood never lost a first-degree felony trial or capital murder trial in all his years as an Assistant District Attorney. In November 1994 he resigned from the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office as one of its top supervising Assistant District Attorneys in order to enter private practice.

Since entering private practice, Mr. Hagood has represented hundreds of individuals and companies entangled in the state or federal criminal justice system. He enjoys a practice national in scope, having represented individuals in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C. His cases range from the high profile federal white-collar offense or state murder case to the businessman caught up in a DWI case. He is board certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has tried over 300 criminal and civil jury trials.

Mr. Hagood returned to public service from December 2003 to May 2005 when he accepted an appointment by the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office as the “Special Prosecutor” in charge of investigating and prosecuting the Dallas Police Department’s “fake drug scandal” cases. Upon announcing Mr. Hagood’s appointment as Special Prosecutor, the Dallas County District Attorney said that Mr. Hagood “is certainly one of the most exemplary trial lawyers in the State…He is one of the best. He is a man of the highest integrity whose character is above reproach.”

Mr. Hagood also regularly tries civil cases, including wrongful death, breach of contract, and related civil claims. He is a frequent speaker on trial-related legal matters for the Dallas Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, and the Center for American and International Law.

Mr. Hagood has extensive experience with the media and has been interviewed by CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, The Associated Press, the Washington Post, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, The Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and numerous other media outlets.

Mr. Hagood is past Chairman of the C-1 Panel, District 6 Grievance Committee for the State Bar of Texas. Mr. Hagood was selected by his peers as a “Super Lawyer” in white-collar criminal defense as reported in Texas Monthly magazine for the years 2003-2023. The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating gives Mr. Hagood its highest rating, an A-V lawyer. Also, from 2009-2023 D Magazine has named him one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Dallas. 

Mr. Hagood is a recipient of the Legion of Merit for performance of duty in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

Mr. Hagood advises and represents individuals and companies on issues related to all federal and state criminal offenses, corporate governance and investigations, white-collar defense, and grand jury representation. He believes the best work a defense lawyer does is unknown to the public at large. Early entry into a case can often prevent criminal charges or an indictment from being filed and avoids the terrible reputational and legal risks such charges entail.