About Mark Hanks

Since his 1987 admission to the Florida Bar, Mark Hanks has been in private practice for the past twenty years of his career. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He attained his undergraduate degree at Tulane University, New Orleans, before returning to Missouri for his Juris Doctorate from St. Louis University, a portion of the studies for which had been earned at Stetson University Law School. He permanently relocated to St. Petersburg in 1987. when James I Russell hired him as an Assistant State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Clearwater.
While a prosecutor, Mark investigated, prosecuted, and tried a wide variety of cases, beginning with DUI’s and thefts, and culminating in Armed Robbery and Murder cases. During his six years as a prosecuting attorney, he served assignments in Clearwater Traffic, Family Violence, Crimes Against Children, and the DUI Manslaughter unit.
In 1993, Mark Hanks left the State Attorneys Office, to join with another former prosecutor to form, Hanks and Frost, P.A., a private practice in the Gateway area, that grew to encompass many areas of the law. “Whatever type of lawyer our neighbors needed, that was the type we became.” As a result, Mark gained significant experience in new areas of law, such as Family Law. Personal Injury, Probate Law. Business Law, Social Security and Workmen’s Compensation. Eventually he narrowed his practice to Criminal Defense, Family Law and Personal Injury. It was during this time that Attorney Mark Hanks tried his first personal injury case to a $400.000.00 verdict.