Mark S. Hanna
Mark S. Hanna is a shareholder of the Firm, specializing in a broad array of civil and criminal litigation.
A seasoned litigator and polished trial attorney with a track record of success, Mark handles a wide variety of civil and criminal litigation in the state and federal courts of New Jersey and New York. Mark routinely handles civil cases in areas as diverse and complex as commercial, professional liability, intellectual property, municipal entity, labor and employment, construction defect, premises liability and insurance coverage disputes. Further, he draws on his experience as a former Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor in regularly advising individuals or corporations that are under investigation by law enforcement authorities. He also regularly represents persons or entities that are facing serious charges in criminal matters. In addition, Mark counsels businesses and individuals in intellectual property matters.
While Mark has successfully tried several civil and criminal cases to favorable verdicts before various courts, he is equally adept at achieving results for his clients by motion practice, and outside of the courtroom in negotiations. He also utilizes his litigation background to issue spot, and counsel small, medium and large corporate clients in labor and employment, as well as general contractual matters and intellectual property issues. In addition to being a zealous advocate on behalf of his clients, Mark places a special emphasis on the ethical practice of law. Mark was appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to serve on the District XB Ethics Committee from 2013-2017. He previously served on the District VI Ethics Committee from 2009-2013.
Prior to joining the Firm, Mark was associated with other well-known northern New Jersey law firms, handing the defense of automobile accident, premises liability, insurance coverage, municipal entity, employment discrimination, and criminal defense cases from inception to completion. Before that, Mark was an Assistant Prosecutor in Hudson County for over three years, where he successfully prosecuted numerous “career criminals” and violent offenders. Mark formerly served as law clerk to the Honorable Paul M. DePascale, Superior Court, Criminal Division, Hudson County.
Results
- Secured a verdict at trial in an insurance coverage matter, recovering thousands of dollars on behalf of an excess insurer from a primary insurer. The primary insurer had refused to contribute more than its “per occurrence” limit to settle a significant personal injury matter involving multiple “occurrences,” and then sued the excess carrier seeking a declaratory judgment that the primary carrier’s conduct was appropriate. After a trial, the Court was convinced that the primary carrier failed to abide by its obligations, and ordered reimbursement of a substantial sum of money to the excess carrier
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of an insurance carrier that had disclaimed coverage based on fraudulent misrepresentations contained in an application for insurance.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a demolition contractor in a construction accident case involving a multimillion dollar claim for serious personal injuries resulting from a crumbling cinderblock wall that crushed the claimant.
- Negotiated an early nominal settlement on behalf of a defense contractor sued in Federal Court for breach of contract and employment discrimination.
- Conducted review and overhaul of a medium sized corporation’s risk transfer agreements to ensure compliance with current laws.
Services
- Construction Litigation
- Criminal Defense
- Employment Litigation
- Insurance and Reinsurance
- Premises Liability
- Products Liability
- Professional Liability
- Intellectual Property
- Municipal Entity
Education
- Rutgers University School of Law (J.D. 2003)
- Lehigh University, with honors (B.A. 2000)
Professional Admissions
- State of New Jersey (2003)
- State of New York (2003)
- United States District Court, District of New Jersey (2003)
Memberships
- Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Member, Morris County Bar Association
- Member, Supreme Court District XB Ethics Committee of the New Jersey Office of Attorney Ethics, 2013-2017
- Member, Supreme Court District VI Ethics Committee of the New Jersey Office of Attorney Ethics, 2009-2013
- Member, Hudson County Bar Association
- Member, Hudson County Inn of Court – Barrister
Awards and Honors
- Selected for inclusion in New Jersey Rising Stars, 2018. (This list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the methodology used for inclusion can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.)