Complex civil litigation is one of the areas where Mark excels. He brings extensive experience in all levels of court work (from state administrative agency through the Illinois Supreme Court and federal courts) and a wide range of case circumstances where he has obtained favorable results for his clients. Mark represents several insurance companies and their insureds in a variety of contexts, both personal and commercial. These matters involve issues as diverse as personal injury defense, commercial defense and coverage questions.

Following graduation from law school, Mark served as a law clerk for Justice Robert C. Underwood of the Illinois Supreme Court and then United States District Judge J. Waldo Ackerman. Following his clerkships, he was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of Illinois.

Mark is a registered lobbyist with the State of Illinois and has a proven track record of working with legislators and administrators at all levels of state government. Prior to attending law school, Mark served as an Illinois Legislative Staff Intern on the staff of the Illinois Senate. Upon entering private practice, he began work with other lawyers in the firm as a lobbyist before the Illinois General Assembly and numerous state administrative agencies. The firm currently represents several large corporations and many national and statewide trade associations. While all of the firm's lobbyists are involved as necessary with all of the firm's clients, Mark's primary responsibility and emphasis has been upon representing insurance interests and several state-regulated interest groups. He has been directly responsible for the enactment of laws proposed by his clients and the defeat of legislation and regulations opposed by his clients.

Mark has severed since 1995 in the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel. He was Past-President of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel from 2016-2017 and a member of the Board of Directors from 2012-2017. Mark is currently a member of the IDC's Legislative Committee. He received the IDC's President's Award in 2007, 2008, and 2011.

Mark is currently the Illinois State Representative to the Defense Research Institute. In 2017, Mark received DRI's prestigious Fred H. Sievert Outstanding Defense Bar Leader Award.

Mark also serves as a Hearing Officer for administrative hearings before the Illinois State Police Merit Board.

Mark currently serves as a Member of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness.

• J.D., Magna cum laude, Southern Illinois University School of Law, 1978
  • Southern Illinois University Law Journal, Articles Editor
  • Published, "Open vs. Closed Primaries, A Dilemma in the Illinois Election
  • Process", 1977 So.IL ULJ 210
  • Research Assistant to Professor Roger F. Jacobs
  • Ethics Council, Student Representative

• B.S., Western Illinois University, 1973
  • Blue Key National Honor Society

• Illinois, 1978 to Present
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1982 to Present
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1979 to Present
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, 1978 to Present
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (General Bar & Trial Bar), 1993 to Present

• Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Character & Fitness for the Fourth District, 2015 to Present
  
• Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Committee for the Central District of Illinois, Chair, 1995

• Illinois State Bar Association, 1982 to Present
• Sangamon County Bar Association, 1982 to Present
• Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel, 1985 to Present
  • Member of the Board of Directors, 2006-2017
  • President's Award, 2007, 2008, 2011
  • Officer/Member of the Executive Committee, 2012-2017, President, 2016-2017
• Defense Research Institute, 2012 to Present
  • Illinois State Representative, 2018 to Present
• American Inn of Courts, Lincoln-Douglas Chapter, 1995 to Present
• Litigation Counsel of America, 2014 to Present

• Springfield Sports Hall of Fame
  • Member of Board of Directors, 1994 - 2013
  • President, 2004-2006

• St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Springfield, Illinois
  • Chairman and member of various committees
  • Council Member
  • President

Areas Of Focus

• Civil Litigation and Appeals

• Govt. Relations and Advocacy/Lobbying

• Insurance