Mark graduated with honors from Cornell University and then received his law degree from Northeastern University. He is listed in Who’s Who in American Law.
Mark is an attorney-mediator. Prior to his mediation practice, he specialized in family law and civil litigation – including personal injury, civil rights, and employment cases – for more than 40 years. As a skilled litigator recognized throughout Oregon, he helped thousands of clients reach fair and reasonable settlements. As an attorney, Mark has more than 35 years of trial experience and extensive experience in family law issues ranging from adoption and contested custody to grandparent and psychological parent rights.
Mark has served as a pro-tem judge for the Multnomah County Circuit Court. As co-counsel for the Oregon State Judiciary Committee and in private practice, Mark drafted family law legislation that is now Oregon law. Mark is the author of several articles about family law and is a frequent speaker on the subjects of grandparent and psychological parent rights.
Mark is married to a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has two adult sons. When not in the courtroom, Mark is an avid cyclist and a yoga enthusiast. He is also a member of the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble (pjce.org), whose emission is to spur the commission and performance of original jazz works in Portland and beyond.
I have served as a pro-tem judge and as an arbitrator for the Multnomah County Circuit Court.
I offer participants a structured and supportive environment to explore and resolve their issues and provide them with the tools from my legal toolkit so that each participant understands their rights and options within the legal system. At the request of participants I will offer predictive outcomes based on my 40 years of legal experience in the event that the parties are unable to resolve their dispute and elect to proceed to court.
Introduction: I will explain the mediation process and the roles and responsibilities of the parties. This is often done in a group setting, but it can be done individually.
Opening statements: Each party will have the opportunity to make an opening statement to explain their perspective on the dispute. This is optional, and if you choose not to do this, it will not affect the success of the mediation.
Individual Breakout Sessions: I will usually meet with each party in a private session to discuss the dispute further, identify concerns and interests, and to explore options for resolution.
Joint sessions: In some cases, I will meet with the parties in a joint session to discuss the dispute and identify the issues that need to be resolved. This usually happens after a few individual sessions with each party.
Negotiation: I will work with each party, individually and jointly, to negotiate an agreement that addresses concerns and interests.
Arbitration Option: Participants will have the option to use the mediator in an arbitration role to allow the mediator to serve as an arbitrator to resolve specific issues in dispute. Both parties must agree to this option and also agree that the decision made in this process is binding and not subject to appeal.
Closure: If an agreement is reached, I will help you to formalize the agreement in a written document. If you do not have an attorney, I can help you prepare the essential legal documents, help you file them with the court, and ensure they are signed and effective. If no agreement is reached, you may consider other options for resolving the dispute, such as arbitration or litigation.
Mark graduated with honors from Cornell University and then received his law degree from Northeastern University
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