Paul Christopher Galanides

PRO

Paul Christopher Galanides

4.9
Rating: 9.6

Licensed for 30 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Richmond, VA
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Appeals, Unknown

1561 East Main Street, Richmond, VA

Virtual Consultation Available

About Paul

Biography

Criminal and Traffic Defense for Adult and Juvenile Defendants

Over a dozen appeals before the Supreme Court of Virginia and several dozen in the Court of Appeals.

Whether it's a traffic ticket in juvenile court or capital murder, I've got the experience you need!

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 85%

I have devoted my entire career to handling criminal cases, beginning as a Public Defender and spending years as a prosecutor in both Virginia and Kentucky. I was death penalty certified in 1998, and over my career I tried @ 100 cases to a jury.

31 years | 1,000 cases

85%
Appeals 14%

I spent almost five years as an Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Criminal Appeals unit and was counsel of record for the Commonwealth in well over a dozen death penalty cases.

31 years | 100 cases

14%
Other 1%

1%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Always


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2023 2022 2019
Notable Peer Review Rating

Licenses

Licensed in Virginia for 25 years

State: Virginia

Acquired: 2000

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Kentucky for 30 years

State: Kentucky

Acquired: 1995

Former Member

No misconduct found

Location

Law Office of Paul C. Galanides, P.C.

1561 East Main Street, Richmond, VA, 23219

vadefensecounsel.com/

Online Presence

Other places you can find Paul online.

Paul Christopher Galanides's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

29 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (29) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 5 reviews | Responsiveness

Posted by Charles | February 14, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Charges Dismissed!

After breaking up with my ex gf, she retaliated by calling 911 and completely fabricated a story to have me arrested. I was charged with Misdemeanor assault. I never touched her. I hired Paul Galanides for the appeal (jury trial in VA) after the County Court judge sentenced me to 2 weeks. I would... have had to serve this time had I not hired Paul. Mr. Galanides requested the officers’ body cams, never shown in the bench trial, and he even obtained the criminal history background of my ex gf. He spent time with me before trial going through all the evidence and it was clear Paul had methodically broken down the State’s case, which was all predicated on my lying ex gf. Apparently, it was clear to the prosecutor as well. They completely dismissed my case the day before trial! There could have been no better outcome. While the trial was pending, I was given access to legal assistant Kara, who fights equally as hard as Paul for you from behind the scenes. She’s outstanding in keeping you updated about where your case is at and cheerfully answers any questions you may have. Because she cares. Hiring Paul Galanides and Kara is the best decision you can make if you ever find yourself in a jam.

Posted by Kristi | July 19, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

The best!!!

Kara is ALWAYS a text or call away. She helps explain any and everything that is going on. She will listen no matter the time or day, Paul is prompt in doing everything he says he will ALWAYS. He will make sure he is available to talk when you need him! He got my FELONY DROPPED! This law office wi...ll forever be my go to if I should ever find myself in this situation. They are the best!!

Posted by George | June 10, 2019 | Hired Attorney

Passionate, Ethical and Experienced

My wife called Mr Galanides to represent our son after having a horrible experience from another Richmond attorney. Mr Galanides did more in one week than our prior attorney did in three months. We had a meeting within hours after speaking with his law office. From the start of the meeting his exp...erience and calm demeanor allowed us to build a trusting relationship. He was very organized/informative throughout the process of the case. We were very blessed to have found Mr Galanides and his staff. I would recommend him to anyone needing an ethical, passionate and experienced lawyer. The results of our case were outstanding!

Posted by anonymous | December 07, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Ms

While in Richmond, VA I found myself in trouble an in need of a lawyer. My friend had used Paul Galanides in the past an he contacted him to get me a bond hearing. He came to see me right away an answered all my questions and told me in detail what to expect. Paul called me a few days before my court... date an told me he had found some beneficial information in the police report. My case was dismissed a few days later. I would definitely recommend Paul to anyone needing a lawyer.

Posted by Julie | November 04, 2015 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

SUPERB ATTORNEY - SIMPLY THE BEST

Paul Galanides was recommended to us by a friend, and his performance as our attorney was superb from beginning to end. Without going into a lot of detail, unfortunately, we were in a situation which was considered criminal. We were also already in a relationship with another attorney regarding our... situation, but because he never did anything for us or our case, we had no choice but to seek another attorney. Our initial meeting with Mr. Galanides was a consultation, which went extremely well. He spent a great deal of time with us discussing our situation and addressing our concerns. We achieved more results in two hours with Paul Galanides than we did with our other attorney in five months. We were immediately impressed with his professionalism and knowledge, and he was very upfront and honest with us as to what we were up against. During this consultation, a couple of our questions required his follow-up, and we were even more impressed when we had the answers to those questions in the mail the day after our meeting. After retaining Paul Galanides as our attorney, we were amazed with his continued commitment to our case, attention to detail and his responsiveness in communicating with us. He kept us well informed on the status of our case at all times. To have an attorney who is honest and that you completely trust, and to have an attorney who actually responds to your emails, phone calls, questions and concerns in such an expeditious manner was refreshing. The outcome of our case was much better than we had hoped for. We can’t thank Paul Galanides enough for what he did for us. We would not hesitate to use him again or to recommend him. To find an attorney with his integrity and commitment is rare these days, and he did not let us down. We only wish we had found him sooner.

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Paul Christopher Galanides's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Paul
Matthew Thomas Mikula headshot
Matthew Mikula

Criminal defense lawyer | Sep 24

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"As a fellow lawyer, I have seen Paul in practice. He works hard, he is diligent and he fights for the right outcome. Maybe most importantly, he appears to care about his clients and wants a good outcome for them."

Seth Parker Saunders headshot
Seth Saunders

Criminal defense lawyer | Jun 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I strongly recommend Galanides to anyone who is charged with a crime. He is a highly experienced and aggressive attorney who fights to defend each of his clients. I would encourage anyone who is facing charges to contact him to prepare their defense."

Abraham Del Rio III headshot
Abraham Del Rio

Criminal defense lawyer | May 21

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Paul is an exceptional attorney whose legal acumen and passionate advocacy gets positive results for his clients. I fully endorse Paul without reservation."

Matt Clay Pinsker headshot
Matt Pinsker

Speeding and traffic ticket lawyer | May 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Paul is personable, highly experienced, and gets great results for clients."

Marc Alan Boyko headshot
Marc Boyko

Criminal defense lawyer | Apr 20

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have had the pleasure of working and interacting with Paul for many years. He is a dedicated and compassionate attorney who I highly recommend."

Mark Randolph Matney headshot
Mark Matney

Criminal defense lawyer | Dec 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Paul served as a prosecutor for many years and now applies that experience as a zealous advocate for his clients. He is also someone who other lawyers can turn to for advice. He helped me in a case when I was new to one of the counties where he practices. I endorse him for criminal and traffic defense."

View All Endorsements
Raul Novo headshot
Raul Novo

Criminal defense lawyer

Matthew Thomas Mikula headshot
Matthew Mikula

DUI and DWI lawyer

Adam Michael Jurach headshot
Adam Jurach

Criminal defense lawyer

Barbara Earp headshot
Barbara Earp

Criminal defense lawyer

John Paul Gregorio headshot
John Gregorio

Criminal defense lawyer

Jonathan Beck Jordan headshot
Jonathan Jordan

Criminal defense lawyer

Amy Elizabeth Hensley headshot
Amy Hensley

Criminal defense lawyer

Dannie Ray Sutton Jr. headshot
Dannie Sutton

Criminal defense lawyer

Jay J. Levit headshot
Jay Levit

Employment and labor lawyer

Scott Thomas Poole headshot
Scott Poole

Criminal defense lawyer

Muneer Othman Awad headshot
Muneer Awad

Criminal defense lawyer

Greg Howard Bell headshot
Greg Bell

DUI and DWI lawyer

Howard J. Weintraub headshot
Howard Weintraub

Criminal defense lawyer

Andrew Raymond Lynch headshot
Andrew Lynch

DUI and DWI lawyer

Matt Clay Pinsker headshot
Matt Pinsker

Criminal defense lawyer

Marc Alan Boyko headshot
Marc Boyko

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.6 (Superb)

Honors

2019

Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2019

Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers

1992

Carlton B. Smith Award for Outstanding Graduate Thesis, James Madison University

1984

Athletic Director's Award, Norfolk Academy

Work Experience

2014 - Present

Attorney, Law Office of Paul C. Galanides, P.C.

2018 - 2018

Attorney, Carlson & Collier

2016 - 2018

Associate, Morrissey & Associates

2006 - 2014

Instructor Police Academy, Henrico County Police Department

2005 - 2014

Prosecutor, Henrico County Commonweath Attorney's Office

2001 - 2005

Assistant Attorney General, Office Of The Virginia Attorney General

1998 - 2001

Assistant Attorney General, Office Of The Kentucky Attorney General

1995 - 1998

Public Defender, Lexington - Fayette Legal Aid, Inc

1992 - 1994

Intern, University Of Kentucky College Of Law

Associations

2018 - Present

Virginia State Bar, Criminal Law Section

Member

2018 - Present

Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Member

2005 - 2016

Henrico County Bar Association

Member

2003 - 2006

Sts. Helen and Constantine Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Parish Council Member

2001 - 2006

Capital Appeals Unit

Member

1995 - 2003

Kentucky State Bar Association

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Tyvon Smith v. Commonwealth of Virginia - Court of Appeals of Virginia

Four felony convictions (30 year sentence) reversed and dismissed

Commonwealth v. A.A. - Stafford County, VA J&D Court

Charges Nolle Prosse'd

Commonwealth v. Y.W

Convicted of Possession, fine and no incarceration.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1995

University of Kentucky College of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1992

James Madison University

MA - Masters

1990

Washington and Lee University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2009

Seminar on Identy Theft

Identity Theft

2007

Seminar on Trial Conduct

Trial Conduct

2003

Seminar on Courtroom Demeanor

Courtroom Demeanor

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
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