Mark specialises in the areas of general corporate, commercial, mergers and acquisitions, franchising and advising distressed companies in corporate matters and venture capital transactions. Mark has also been involved in numerous international transactions, including corporate restructurings, licensing transactions, joint ventures and foreign direct investments (particularly with respect to Asia and China).

In 1992 and 1993 Mark worked in Bangkok, Thailand on a Luce Fellowship, concentrating on legal reform issues in Indochina. He spent 1996 and 1997 working at the law firm of Lee & Ko in Seoul, South Korea, focusing primarily on international commercial transactions. Mark has also lived in Spain, England and worked in a human rights law firm in South Africa.

Mark is currently a Partner in DLA Piper's Beijing office (having spent nearly two years in the Shanghai office) and works on various transactions in China and Asia. He was previously Hiring Partner for the Chicago office and is a member of DLA Piper's US-Asia Committee. Mark obtained a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1992; an M.Sc. from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 1989, and a B.A. from the University of Illinois in 1988. Mark also obtained a M.B.A. in 2007 from a joint programme offered by the University of Maryland/Beijing University for International Business and Economics.

Key experience:

• Advised TLC Beatrice in the sale and dissolution of various subsidiaries of TLC Beatrice, Inc., in the food and beverage industries; including in Thailand, England, Spain, Ireland, and Italy, and supervised transactions in the various jurisdictions through co-ordination of documentation and closing.
• Advised Beloit Corporation in the sale and dissolution of various subsidiaries of Beloit Corporation, in the paper industry; including in Germany, Italy, China, Poland, France, Brazil, and Japan, and supervised transactions in the various jurisdictions through the co-ordination of documentation and closing.
• Advised Doran Capital Partners, Inc. in the formation of a Korean-based real estate fund focused on Asia (with US holding company), including the supervision and co-ordination of structuring and documentation.
• Advised Array Networks, Inc. a US-based network security company in its acquisition of InfoSec Technologies, Inc., a venture-backed Cayman company based in China, and simultaneous Series C financing of Array by certain investors of InfoSec.
• Advised on the roll-up, reorganisation and restructuring of approximately 100 entities of Sunterra Corporation (hospitality and time share company) throughout various US and foreign jurisdictions during Chapter 11 proceedings, including supervision and co-ordination of entire structuring, documentation, and implementation process.
• Advised Beloit Corporation (large paper corporation and subsidiary fortune 500 company) during Chapter 11 reorganisation, and essentially acted as associate general counsel on secondment for one year assisting the general counsel with corporate and commercial matters.
• Advised the owners of Candle Corporation (software and technology services corporation) in the sale of its capital stock to IBM, including the negotiation and preparation of all documentation and closing.
• Advised InterContinental Hotels Group, Inc (IHG) in the establishment of a franchising system in China, including the supervision and co-ordination of structuring and all documentation.
• Advised Indo-China Capital Corporation in the purchase of a Vietnamese subsidiary (through Singaporean Holding Company) from Credit Service, including negotiation and preparation of all documentation.
• Advised Heitman Corporation in the formation of Heitman Central Europe Property Partners I and II real estate funds (domiciled in Luxembourg) and the negotiation and drafting of all documents in connection therewith and subsequent purchase and sales of ownership interests.
  
  

Professional Qualification

• Attorney-at-Law registered with the Supreme Court of Illinois

Admissions

• Illinois

Memberships

• American Bar Association
• Illinois Bar Association
• Chicago Bar Association
• Washington, D.C. Bar Association

Civic and Charitable

• US-China Business Council
• The Chicago Community Trust Young Leaders Group
• The Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice - Board of Directors
• Co-Chair, International Law and Practice Committee of the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section
• The Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
• American-Israel Chamber of Commerce
• Japan-America Society
• Anti-Defamation League
• American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and Beijing
• The Century Club
• YMCA Alliance - Board of Directors
• Leadership Greater Chicago - Fellow