Mark C. Mazzarella
Top rated Business Litigation attorney in San Diego, California
Duckor Metzger & Wynne, APLC
Practice Areas: Business Litigation, Construction Litigation, Estate & Trust Litigation; view more
Licensed in California since: 1978
Education: University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2007 - 2025 Call today:
619-238-4900
Virtual Appointments Duckor Metzger & Wynne, APLC
101 W BroadwaySuite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101 Visit website
Details
Veteran litigator Mark Mazzarella leverages over four decades of legal experience, including nearly 100 trials, to assist parties in resolving conflicts through mediation and arbitration. Throughout his career, he has participated in hundreds of mediations and arbitrations, resulting in verdicts and settlements totaling over $330 million and the successful defense of more the $2 billion in claims.
Of Counsel in Duckor Metzger & Wynne, APLC’s Litigation Department, Mark is known for his ability to win “unwinnable” cases. His success stems from his creativity, his skill in connecting and communicating with juries and his knack for identifying and simplifying key issues in even the most complex cases. His practice has been nearly equally divided between representing plaintiffs and defendants, providing him with a balanced and unbiased perspective that he brings to every dispute resolution. In addition to general business litigation, Mark also handles probate litigation matters.
Before joining DMW, Mark had his own law firm and previously worked at two of the largest law firms in California, serving in leadership roles at each. An active and dedicated member to the San Diego legal community, Mark is a past chair of the State Bar of California’s Litigation Section, a two-term past president of The Association of Business Trial Lawyers San Diego Chapter and was appointed as judge pro tem for the San Diego Superior Court and chair of the ad hoc Committee on Bench/Bar Relations for the San Diego County Superior and Municipal Courts, and the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California.
Having transitioned the majority of his litigation practice to mediation, Mark applies the same dedication that brought him success in the courtroom to helping parties navigate and negotiate their way out of costly and exhausting disputes. His unparalleled communication and conflict resolution techniques, along with his creativity, often lead to settlements with non-traditional components that are acceptable to all parties involved. A keen observer of human behavior and a natural deal maker, Mark utilizes these unique skills and his professional experience to significantly enhance his effectiveness facilitating dispute resolution.
Mark’s diverse professional background adds to his ability to take a well-rounded view of people and situations. He is the co-author of the best-selling books “Reading People” and “Put Your Best Foot Forward,” and is a licensed real estate broker who has personally been involved in the development of over 900 units in San Diego County. Mark serves as an expert witness in legal malpractice matters and has collaborated with numerous high-profile individuals and Fortune 500 companies on impression formation.
Practice areas
Business Litigation, Construction Litigation: Business, Estate & Trust Litigation, Real Estate: Business, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Land Use/ZoningFocus areas
Construction Defects
- 20% Business Litigation
- 20% Construction Litigation: Business
- 20% Estate & Trust Litigation
- 20% Real Estate: Business
- 10% Civil Litigation: Plaintiff
- 10% Land Use/Zoning
First Admitted: 1978, California
Professional Webpage: https://dmwplc.com/attorneys/mark-mazzarella/
- University of Oregon Mediation Course , 2023
- American Bar Association Advisory Panel, Member
- Guidelines for Ethics, Civility and Professionalism for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Principal Draftsman, 1992-1993
- The Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Board of Directors
- California State Bar Association, Litigation Section, past Chair, 1988
- Chair, the ad hoc Committee on Bench/Bar relations for the San Diego County Superior and Municipal Courts, and the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California
- San Diego County Bar Association Annual Meeting, Floor Leader, 1985
- The Association of Business Trial Lawyers--San Diego, past President - two-term
- San Diego County Superior Court, Judge Pro Tem
- San Diego County Bar Association, Delegate, 1984
- American Bar Association, Advisory Panel Member
- Buehler v. Sbardellati
- Johnson v. Sheppard Mullen
- Pacific Scene Homes
- Davidson Communities
- Douglas Wilson Companies
- Arena Group 2000 (Ron and Ernie Hahn)
- Lambert Development
- Carter/Reese
- The Manchester Financial Group
- Peter Janopaul
- Licensed California Real Estate Broker
- Top Attorneys in San Diego in “Corporate Litigation” category, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2006 & 2007
- “San Diego Super Lawyer”, Law & Politics, 2007
- "Super Lawyers", 2007 - 2011
- San Diego’s "Top Influentials", San Diego Daily Transcript, 2006
- “AV Preeminent”, 5.0 out of a possible 5.0, Martindale Hubbell
- Moot Court Honors Program, Member, U.C.L.A.
- Only real estate litigator in San Diego named among the best lawyers in the U.S. by "The Best of the U.S.", 2007
- United States International University, Cal Western, Honors: First in his class, 1975
- Co-author, with renowned jury consultant Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, of the New York Timesand international bestseller, Reading People (Random House 1998), and Put Your Best Foot Forward (Simon & Schuster 2000), as well as scores of legal and lay article
- Faculty of the American Bar Association’s National Trial Institute, “How to Win A Business Jury Trial”
- Member of the U.C.L.A. Law Review, U.C.L.A.
- Participant, trial demonstration programs at the Annual Trial Seminar of The Litigation Section of The California State Bar
- Participant, trial demonstration programs at the The Association of Business Trial Lawyers' Annual Trial Symposium
- Appointed by the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to serve a three year term as a lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, 2007
- Appeared on programs such as "Larry King Live," "Hardball with Chris Mathews," "The O'Reilly Factor," "Saturday Morning with Tony Snow," "The Kathleen Crier Report," "The Edge with Paula Zahn," "The Dan Abrams Report," "EXTRA," and scores of other ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, MSNBC, CNBC and CNN news shows
- Construction
- Hospitality
- Professional Services
- Real Estate
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
“Mark is of the best trial attorneys in San Diego. His over 40 years of experience as a civil trial attorney is unparalleled. His range of civil litigation experience is extensive. His experience includes complex business, real estate, construction, and land use matters. There are few attorneys in San Diego that can claim to have conducted as many trials as Mark has conducted.”
“An impressive and distinguished attorney, fearless litigator, dedicated advocate for his clients and mentor for junior attorneys. ”
Office location for Mark C. Mazzarella
101 W Broadway
Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-238-4900
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2007 - 2025
