Akim Anastopoulo

Akim A. Anastopoulo (born October 14, 1960, Charleston, South Carolina) is the judge on National Lampoon's syndicated reality television show "Eye for an Eye". On television he is called "Judge Extreme Akim".cite web|url=http://www.eyeforaneyetv.com/akimbio|title=Extreme Akim|work=Eye for an Eye TV.com|accessdate=2006-11-16] He is also an attorney in South Carolina.

Education

Anastopoulo received a four-year tennis scholarship to the University of Louisville, where he received the "Most Outstanding Athlete" and "Most Outstanding Graduating Senior" Awards. Earning his Bachelor of Arts in 1982, he then went to the University of South Carolina for his Juris Doctor in 1985.cite web|url=http://www.lawyers.com/South-Carolina/Charleston/Akim-A.-Anastopoulo-4753256-a.html?&co=|title=Attorney Profile for Akim A. Anastopoulo|work=Lawyers.com|accessdate=2006-11-16]

Professional

Anastopoulo is a partner in "Anastopoulo & Clore, LLC," based in Charleston. He specializes in personal injury, automobile accidents and injuries, premises liability, and products liability. He has litigation experience in civil, criminal, class action and state and federal appeals cases. Anastopoulo has been practicing law in the Charleston, South Carolina area for 20 years.

In 2005, Anastopoulo canceled his voluntary membership in the South Carolina Trial Lawyers' Association. No reason was given by Anastopoulo for the withdrawal, but it did coincide with a decision by the South Carolina Supreme Court to ban the use of catchy nicknames by attorneys. At the time, Anastopoulo was using the nickname, "The Strongarm," in all of his advertising. By his own account, he had spent "hundreds of thousands of dollars" developing his brand name.cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-1078345_ITM|title=Akim Anastopoulo severs ties with S.C. Trial Lawyer's Association.]

Anastopoulo is a former South Carolina state prosecutor. He has been admitted to the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, the South Carolina Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (in 1998), and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit (1999).

Eye for an Eye

Anastopoulo was approached to be the judge on "Eye for an Eye" in 2004, to which he agreed. However, due to the time demands of the show, he partnered with Mark Clore, a litigator originally from Houston, Texas.cite web|url=http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A10631|title=Best of Charleston 2006|work=CharlestonCityPaper.com|accessdate=2006-11-16]

Awards

In 2006, a reader's poll by "Charleston Citypaper" voted Mr. Anastopoulo and the firm of Anastopoulo & Clore as the "Best Lawyer/Law Firm" in Charleston.

Trivia

He is fluent in Greek and English

References