Education

J.D., Lewis and Clark Law School, 2012
Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, Oregon State University, 2004

Mark is a graduate of Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, where he was a Dean's Scholarship recipient. Mark earned his bachelor's degree in business administration with emphasis on management and international business from Oregon State University.

Personal

Mark is an experienced and highly effective estate planning and administration attorney. His clients appreciate how approachable and thoughtful he is. Mark enjoys spending time with his clients to ensure they understand the documents and legal concepts involved in their estate plan. With his knowledge of estate planning, probate, and trust administration, Mark confidently advises his clients without neglecting the human aspect of the process. He is highly responsive to clients and always makes time to answer questions and address concerns. Unlike some lawyers, Mark is generally available to speak with clients and does not rely on support staff to do the bulk of communication, preferring instead to maintain the client relationship directly.

In his 11th year of practice, Mark has consistently acted as the primary attorney on numerous estate administrations, and hundreds of estate plans, ranging from simple wills to highly complex estate plans. Each new client presents new and interesting legal issues and situations, which has allowed Mark to develop a deep understanding of all aspects of estate planning and administration. Mark has experience with revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, income cap trusts, LLC’s as estate planning tools, transfer on death deeds, business succession planning through corporate documents and LLC operating agreements, guardianship, conservatorship, and the list goes on. Through mentorship relationships with other highly regarded and senior estate planning attorneys, advanced estate planning continuing education, and real-world practice, Mark has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience far exceeding that of the average attorney of his generation. Mark also spent several years before law school working as a manager for a major financial institution, as well as real estate and land use consultant. His real-world knowledge and varied experience give him the tools required to understand the different situations, goals, and concerns of his clients.

Here are just a few of Mark’s interesting cases:

• Assisted a widow in an insolvent estate through probate, foreclosure, and negotiations with lienholders and claimants to the estate. 5 years after her husband’s death, she is still in her home and working on a modification to the mortgage. (2013-2019)

• Represented the estate of a deceased client in Federal Court after a civil forfeiture of assets just prior to the decedent’s death. Successfully negotiated with the US Attorney for the return of the bulk of the assets seized. (2014)

• Handled an entire estate from drafting the estate plan prior to death, then acting as the trustee and executor, and administering the estate after the death of the client. This gave unique insight to the fiduciary’s role, not just the attorney’s role. (2017-2019)

• Successfully argued a case before the Oregon Court of Appeals. My client prevailed and we were awarded all of our attorney fees on the appeal. (2018)

• Opened a probate on behalf of a creditor of the estate of a decedent. (2015)

• Drafted a comprehensive estate plan for a married couple with assets in excess of $5 million. Handled the trust administration after husband passed. (2016-2019)

• Drafted a comprehensive estate plan for a widower with assets in excess of $10 million. (2018)

• Attended an evidentiary hearing to prove the will of a decedent through witness testimony and documentary evidence. The will did not contain the required formalities of two witness signatures, and was only a copy, not the original. The court granted our petition and admitted the non-conforming will. (2018)

• Handled a complex estate with assets in Oregon and Hawaii. Coordinated with attorney in Hawaii for ancillary probate. (2017)

Primary Practice Areas

Mark focuses mainly on estate planning and administration, as well as commercial real estate issues and business representation.

Admissions

Oregon State Bar
U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon
Washington State Bar

Publication

An Economic Analysis of the Competing Viewpoints in Oregon Land-Use Regulation
U.S. China Law Review, Vol 9:230
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