About
Arbitrator · Mediator · Negotiator · Dallas, Texas
Arbitrator & Mediator
Mark A. Shank is well-known and respected in Texas and across the nation as a trial lawyer, strategist, arbitrator, mediator and negotiator. He has significant experience in a multitude of industries as an advocate in commercial litigation, employment disputes and arbitration matters.
After four decades of litigation practice in courtrooms all over Texas and throughout the country, Mark has handled every difficult commercial and employment issue imaginable. He brings a career full of diverse experiences and a practical approach to solving problems, as a fair and balanced neutral for litigants, guiding parties to resolution of complex business and workplace disputes.
Mark served as a partner and shareholder at several of Texas's most prominent law firms before founding ShankADR to focus exclusively on alternative dispute resolution. His experience as a trial lawyer gives him a unique perspective — he understands the pressures, costs, and uncertainties that drive parties to seek resolution outside the courtroom.
He is a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Law, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators — three of the most prestigious professional bodies in the ADR world. He served as President of the Dallas Bar Association in 2001 and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America every year since 1995.
Mark is a member of the American Arbitration Association and ICDR panels, the CPR Distinguished Neutrals Panel, the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, and numerous other leading ADR rosters. He is board-certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
1984
University of Missouri – Columbia School of Law
1979
Southwest Missouri State University
1976
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Board Certified — Civil Trial Law
Board Certified — Labor & Employment Law
Away from Work
Outside the hearing room, Mark is an avid outdoorsman and water sports enthusiast. An accomplished barefoot water skier, he brings the same discipline, balance, and competitive drive to his personal pursuits that define his professional practice.
Mark's personal interests reflect the same values he brings to every dispute: patience, precision, and a commitment to achieving the best possible outcome — whether on the water or at the negotiating table.
- Barefoot Water Skiing
- On the Water
