Mark primarily devotes his practice to prosecuting and defending civil litigation, municipal and government litigation, zoning and land use litigation as well as trademark, copyright and advertising litigation. He has extensive experience in local and regional government matters, serving as special counsel and general counsel to local governments and representing parties with interests in governmental affairs. Mark also handles land development matters on projects from single lot developments to developments that approach one billion dollars in value. He has personally argued cases at every level of the Illinois judicial system and practices in federal court in Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana. He has presented legislative, administrative and quasi-judicial applications and petitions to dozens of local governmental agencies.
Mark presently serves as counsel to developers and owners of land used or intended to be developed for all purposes ranging from residential to shopping centers to industrial uses. Mark has tried cases before judges and juries. He handles cases involving legal, administrative, quasi-criminal and special or chancery remedies or a combination of all of these.
In 2007, Mark was selected as a one of Illinois’ Super Lawyers (fields of litigation, real estate and zoning and land use) by Illinois Law & Politics Magazine and by Chicago Magazine for his high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement - an honor received by only 5% of Illinois attorneys. Mark is listed in various collections of attorneys and business leaders as being well-respected in the field by attorneys and non-attorneys alike. He has earned a Peer Review Rating of BV for professional excellence from Martindale-Hubbell in recognition of his high level of legal skills, ethical standards and integrity.
Importantly, Mark recognizes the important role an attorney plays not only for the client, but also in a process that is often public. He has enjoyed serving as one of the components of critical decision-making processes throughout the Chicago metropolitan area and in geographic areas extending well west of Chicago, north to the Wisconsin state line and south to Springfield and Champaign-Urbana. He has also participated in efforts to enact new laws and amend existing laws on the state and local level.
Mark has practiced at all levels of the Illinois trial and appellate courts, including the Illinois Supreme Court, and in United States federal courts in several states. He is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois and for the Southern District of Ohio. Mark is a member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the DuPage County Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association and the National Crime Victims Bar Association. He has received recognition for service on land development efforts in northeastern Illinois.
Mark is also a frequent volunteer and he has served as an active board member for the American Cancer Society (DuPage County branch) and three girl scout councils, including the largest in the nation—the Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Girl Scout Council. In 1995 and 1996, he was a special appointee who helped develop the Cincinnati Bar Association’s recommendations of amendments to the rules governing attorney professionalism to the Ohio Supreme Court. Mark prides himself on community involvement and is a frequent contributor to charitable organizations.
Mark earned his Bachelor of Science in Applied Life Studies in 1990 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After a period pursuing a Masters degree in sports administration and working for the Illinois Governor’s Council on Health and Physical Fitness, he earned his Juris Doctor in 1994 (magna cum laude) from the John Marshall Law School. During this time, he had the privilege of serving as one of the associate editors of the law review and a specially-recognized member of the moot court. He also gained significant knowledge and understanding of the law and practice from now-retired Illinois Supreme Court Justice S. Louis Rathje and he will carry Louis’ example that a warm and respectful personality goes quite far in a profession through retirement.
Between 1994 and 1996, Mark was an associate at Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP (Cincinnati). He broadened his practice between 1996 and 2009 as an associate and member at Rathje & Woodward, LLC (Wheaton). In December 2009, Mark opened DANIEL LAW OFFICE, P.C. He hopes to continue his growth and the growth of the Firm as a valuable cog in the metropolitan area for decades to come.