The Honorable Carlos L. Hopkins

Carlos Hopkins is a Partner in both Gentry Locke’s Government & Regulatory Affairs practice group. Carlos previously served as Virginia’s Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs where he was the state’s top official for coordinating resources to support Virginia’s military and veteran communities. In 2014, Carlos was appointed by former Governor Terence R. McAuliffe to serve on the Governor’s Cabinet as Counsel to the Governor.

Carlos retired at the rank of Colonel in the Virginia Army National Guard where he served as the senior legal advisor for Virginia’s Joint Force Headquarters. During his time in uniform, Carlos participated in several overseas deployments and training missions. He served as the Chief of Military Justice for Task Force Guantanamo in Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and most recently he served as the Staff Judge Advocate for the 29th Infantry Division, Operation Spartan Shield, in Kuwait. He has received numerous military awards and commendations over the course of his military service and retired from the military in July 2023 after 32 and a half years of service.

At Gentry Locke, Carlos combines his criminal and civil litigation experience and Virginia-government experience to help clients navigate their most significant litigation, regulatory, and government-facing challenges.

An avid golfer and scuba diver, Carlos can be found most weekends on one of Virginia’s many golf courses or approximately 100 feet underwater hanging with sharks. He is proud graduate of The Citadel and the proud father to Isaiah, a 2023 Virginia State University graduate.