With more than 30 years of courtroom experience, Mark Boennighausen represents companies and individuals in business, civil and commercial litigation matters, with a particular focus on trade secret law and trust and estate disputes.

Mark’s litigation work also includes real estate and sophisticated commercial licensing disputes involving technology companies, as well as appellate work in both state and federal courts. He regularly provides counseling to clients on commercial contracts and pre-litigation business negotiations.

Mark was a member of the successful Bank of America trial team in KC Multimedia v. Bank of America (2009) 171 Cal.App.4th 939, which established the California trade secret pre-emption doctrine. He successfully represented Morgan Stanley & Co, Inc. in Affonso v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co et. al. 2012 WL 1496192, (N.D. Cal 2012 (NO. C 10-5054 PJH)), where he obtained dismissal with prejudice of an ERISA claim. Mark also secured dismissal at the pleading stage of federal RICO claims against an LLC and member investors, which was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit, Malley v. San Jose Midtown Development LLC, 2022 WL 62915 (N.D. Cal. 2022).

Mark’s career also includes working as a reporter and executive for American Lawyer Media, where he helped start its online business. Through this experience, he has specific insights in the litigation challenges internet-based companies face.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes stated, ‘the life of the law has not been logic: it has been experience.’ The extensive experience I have gained through trials, arbitrations, mediations in all forums allows me to provide insightful solutions and practical advice, whether that requires going to trial or working to resolve disputes informally.