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Mark is a trial lawyer who works to make complex problems simple—then solve them with a sharp pen and a creative approach.
A graduate of Yale Law School, Mark clerked for two federal judges: Judge Xavier Rodriguez of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and Judge Patrick Higginbotham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Before joining Doré Rothberg Law, Mark practiced at the litigation boutique Gibbs & Bruns. There, working alongside top-flight trial lawyers, he handled complex litigation from start to finish. He examined fact and expert witnesses on the stand at trial and arbitration. He took and defended critical depositions. He drafted successful dispositive motions and argued them in court or defended them on appeal. Along the way, he also made big-picture strategy calls on matters with novel legal issues and bet-the-company stakes—all while doing the behind-the-scenes legwork that builds a winning case.
Mark approaches disputes with a few guideposts from his experiences.
First, too many lawyers just go through the motions and stick to the same playbook, but every case is different. Those inflexible lawyers miss opportunities for creative, aggressive shortcuts that can get their clients better, quicker, cheaper results.
Second, his clerkships gave him a crash course in how judges think and decide cases—and taught him that good lawyers don’t waste time. The best advocacy gives busy judges exactly what they need when they need it.
Third, every choice—even before a lawsuit is filed—must be made with trial in mind. Most companies want to avoid trial, and for good reason. But your lawyer must always be ready to take your case to a judge, jury, or arbitrator. When they are, the small strategic advantages compound over time—leading to better and faster settlements or, if push comes to shove, courtroom wins. When they’re not, your opponent’s lawyer will be the one dictating the terms.
At heart, Mark is a writer. He always has been. That’s why he values clear thinking, plain language, and strong writing—whether in the courtroom, on the page, or in helping clients make confident decisions.
This mindset carries into his life outside the law. Mark owns Katy Budget Books, the independent bookstore that he grew up in. His mother, Tamra Doré, founded and ran it for forty years. In 2024, she and Carl passed Mark the bookstore baton. Mark also tries his hand at writing his own novels.
The rest of the time, he’s probably cycling, playing drums, at a concert, or off somewhere with his dogs.
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