Mark S. Adams is a distinguished partner at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP, where he has excelled for more than 15 years. He holds a B.S. in Psychobiology from UCLA (1979), an MBA in Accounting and Taxation from Baylor University (1983), and a J.D. from Loyola Law School (1986).
Mark is a seasoned trial lawyer with extensive experience in commercial disputes, including complex multi-party litigation and class actions. He has successfully tried numerous cases in state and federal courts, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. Notably, Mark achieved two of California's top 50 largest jury verdicts in a single year. Mark has taken or defended nearly 1,000 depositions spanning across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Mark's trial victories have been featured in prominent publications such as Forbes, Reuters, and Life Science Weekly. He has been recognized as an authority on noncompete agreements by the Wall Street Journal.
His practice focuses on business litigation, including contracts, corporate and partnership disputes, and hospitality litigation. Mark frequently handles high-stakes shareholder and investment disputes and has a significant track record representing real estate developers and investors. In the hospitality sector, he has successfully litigated the termination of numerous long-term hotel management and franchise agreements, as well as fiduciary duty issues and investor-owner disputes.
Mark is renowned in hotel litigation, representing hundreds of hotel owners in disputes with the management brands such as Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Fairmont, and Marriott. He also represents the largest independent hotel management company in the United States, and one of the largest globally. As an authority on hotel management and franchise disputes, Mark is a frequent author and lecturer, sharing his expertise in the United States and Europe on litigation strategies.
Within his firm, Mark is an active leader, serving on multiple committees, including the Management Committee, the Lateral Hiring Committee, the Opinion Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Technology Committee, the Contingency and Alternative Fee Committee, and the Pro Bono Committee (as Chair).
Mark also is deeply committed to community service, dedicating over 200 hours each year to pro bono work. His efforts include supporting underserved domestic violence victims, educating those with limited access to legal resources, and providing meals to the underprivileged.
Mark has handled numerous litigations, achieving significant results. Highlights of his recent accomplishments include:
·Commercial Lease Dispute. After 2.5 years of litigation, prevailed in an arbitration representing the tenant in a commercial warehouse lease dispute in which the landlord was seeking more than $12 million in lost rents and tenant improvements, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.
·Management Company Litigation. Represented management company in a litigation brought by the hotel owner seeking over $27 million in damages from an alleged breach of contract and alleged breach of fiduciary duty. Following 2 years of litigation, case dismissed.
·Partnership/Shareholder Dispute. Litigated partnership dispute representing the defendants resulting in a $32 million judgment against defendants, reversed and dismissed on appeal.
·Financial Elder Abuse. Represented defendant in an elder abuse case resulting, ultimately, in summary judgment granted in favor of defendant.
·Fee Dispute Arbitration. Consulted and advised defense counsel in a $3.2 million fee dispute resulting in a complete defense award.
·Hotel Management Agreement Dispute. Resolved $8 million+ dispute over a hotel management agreement between the owner of a large luxury hotel in Manhattan, New York and the global management company.
·Hotel Management Agreement Dispute. Resolved contract dispute between hotel owner and the brand for a hotel in San Antonio, Texas.
·Investment Dispute. Represented defendants in an alleged investment scam which was tried to a jury, and obtained a directed verdict in favor of clients.
·Food and Beverage License Agreement Dispute. Terminated a years-long license agreement associated with a $200 million property transaction between a Michelin starred chef in Beverly Hills, California and the property owner.
·Development Agreement. Resolved a dispute concerning a terminated development agreement for a luxury hotel project in Miami, Florida for $30 million+.
·Management Contract Dispute. Prevailed in a $3 million arbitration over the wrongful termination of a management company by a hotel owner.
·Real Estate Contract Dispute. Obtained injunction on behalf of interested party to prevent the dissipation of sales proceeds of $10 million fraudulently dispersed in a real estate transaction.
·Defamation. Obtained judgment of $10.5 million in a defamation per se action.
·Interference with Prospective Contract. Represented plaintiff independent distributer against former manufacturer for interference with prospective economic advantage which was tried to a jury and prevailed, obtaining $6.5 million, representing $4 million in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages.
·Retail Commercial Lease Dispute. Resolved high-end lease dispute for a large commercial retail operation.
·Consumer Fraud. Prevailed in an arbitration for defendant car dealership against former disgruntled customer.
·Control Dispute. Resolved Board of Directors litigation between two groups.
·Business Tort. Represented plaintiff in a litigation against a contact lens manufacturer for interference. Tried to a jury, and obtained a $5 million judgment against defendant, including punitive damages.
·Partnership Dispute. Resolved family partnership double derivative action among vying factions of a large family over a manufacturing company and other holdings.
·Restraining Order. Tried and prevailed in obtaining a 3-year personal domestic violence restraining order for an underserved woman, pro bono.
·Partnership Dispute. Represented plaintiff in an arbitration over a partnership dispute and prevailed, obtaining an award finding the managing member guilty of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. Client received his partnership investment back, plus $1.4 million in attorneys’ fees.
·Corporate Governance. Prevailed in several California Corporations Code section 709 actions -- a legal proceeding used to determine the validity of a corporate election or appointment of directors or officers. It allows shareholders or others with standing to challenge disputes over elections, voting rights, or procedures and provides the court authority to confirm or invalidate the results, and must be tried within 5 days of the filing of the complaint.