Mark Landes
Managing Partner Emeritus
About Mark Landes
A brief scan of Mark Landes’ illustrious career accomplishments reveals why no case can intimidate him. He was a prosecutor for a US cavalry unit stationed along the Iron Curtain, and served as a civil litigator at The Pentagon.
More recently, Mark earned an $11.2 million jury verdict for a developer, and represents 65 Ohio counties and 110 school districts and other government entities and businesses.
His appointments are impressive as well, as he was named special master for the U.S. District Court, and serves as Special Counsel for the Ohio Attorney General for some of their most challenging cases. Mark is also on the Drafting Committee of the Ohio Jury Instructions for employment discrimination cases.
Mark has been a former Managing Partner of Isaac Wiles and Co-chair of the Public Law practice group.
Articles & Presentations
Articles
- Changing Juries: The Impact of Millennial Jurors on Trials and Verdicts, October 5, 2022
- Mark Landes Talks with WTVN 610 Radio About Ohio H.B. 253 and H.B. 248, June 16, 2021
- Is it a HIPAA Violation For Your Employer to Ask About Your Vaccination Status?, June 5, 2021
- What are the legal issues surrounding “Vaccine Passports”? Interview with 10TV News, May 7, 2021
- What is the Reasonable Use of Force Against the Mentally Ill?, December 27, 2019
- Pregnancy Discrimination covers more than pregnancy, says EEOC, October 29, 2014
- Prisoner’s right to contact family does not give claim for denial of overseas calls, July 23, 2014
- Anthony Sowell’s victim strikes out in court; lessons for law enforcement follow, July 9, 2014
- School Treasurer blows budget; tells Board, gets fired. Court says can sue for retaliation, July 7, 2014
- Judge chases Public Defender out of town; no lawsuit, June 3, 2014
- TASER on arrestee who is neither helpful nor resisting: no immunity, February 14, 2014
- Employment Discrimination and Retaliation Instructions, Ohio Jury Instructions
Presentations
- Immunity Update, Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association, 2021
- Employee Investigations, Court Administrator’s Conference, 2019
- Millennial Jurors, SORSA Annual Membership Meeting, September 2017
- “Supervisors Say the Darndest Things,” CORMA 2017 Public Sector Risk Management Seminars, August 2017
- “Emerging Claim and Litigation Managing Your Legal Fees,” Willis Pooling Symposium – Scottsdale, AZ, April 2017
- “Ohio Stop Gap Liability,” CORSA Annual Agents Meeting, October 2015
- “Sunshine Law,” Pickaway County Board of Developmental Disabilities, August 2015
- “ADA Obligations for Bus Drivers,” Ohio Transit Risk Pool, August 2015
- “Open Records for OTRP Risk Managers and Human Resource Personnel – Sunshine Law,” Ohio Transit Risk Pool, February 2015
- “Developments and Abuses in E-Discovery and Where are the Changes?” OACTA Annual Meeting, November 2014
- “Emerging Claim and Litigation Managing Your Legal Fees,” Willis Pooling Symposium – Squaw Valley, CA, September 2014
- “Dealing with Problem Employees,” CORMA-Public Sector Safety/Risk Management Seminar, May 2014
- “Emerging Claim and Litigation Managing Your Legal Fees,” Willis Pooling Symposium – Washington, D.C., October 2013
- “Masters Series: Lawyers in Literature and Cinema,” CBA Bench/Bar Retreat – Masters Series, September 2013
- Emerging Liability Trends,” SORSA Annual Membership Meeting, September 2013
- “Access to Students and Records: Custody, Divorce, Abuse and Neglect,” OSBA School Law Webcast for Ohio School Boards Assn., June 2013
- “Cyberlaw and Athletic Discipline,” OSBA Sports Law Workshop for Ohio School Boards Assn., June 2010
- Legal Update for Public Employers, Annual Seminar, 2010
- Cyberlaw and Athletic Discipline, OSBA Sports Law Workshop, 2010
- The Written Agreement: Incorporating Novel Solutions, The Advocate in Mediation: Basic & Higher Level Concepts, 2009
- Electronic and Student Records, OSBA Spring Seminar, 2009
- Attack of the Killer Trees and Other Tales From the Courthouse, Ohio Tree Care Conference, 2009
- Essential Aspects of Sunshine Law, Commissioners’ Training Session, 2009
- Ethics in E-Discovery, Ethics, Professionalism & Substance Abuse, 2008
Professional & Community Activities
Professional
- Ohio State Bar Association, Past Chair, Federal Courts Committee; Jury Instructions Committee, Select Member
- Columbus Bar Association, Past Chair, Labor and Employment Committee; Judicial Screening Committee, Select Member, 2009-11
- Federal Bar Association, Twice Past President, Columbus Chapter
- Village of Ashville, Solicitor
- Ohio Transit Risk Pool, General Counsel
- Ohio Judicial College, Member, Ohio Jury Instructions Drafting Committee. Selected by Ohio Supreme Court to serve as special member on a committee of judges to draft pattern jury instructions for jury trials involving employment litigation. Jury instructions and their commentaries are known as authoritative among Ohio judges and lawyers.
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Author, Jury Verdict Reports. With the cooperation of the Court and the Federal Bar Association, Columbus Chapter, chronicle each jury verdict from the federal courthouse in Columbus.
- Ohio State Dental Board, 2003-2006
- County Engineers Association of Ohio, Legal Counsel. Counsel to the Association to advise on legal liability and give opinions concerning safety, contracting and personnel issues. 1993-94
- City Council of London, OH, President, 1981-1982
- Johns Hopkins University Magazine, Editor-in-Chief, 1978
- United States Senator Robert Taft, Jr., Aide, 1976
- Supreme Court of Ohio Law Library, Clerk, 1975
Community
- Legatus, Member and Board Member
- Board of Catholic Foundation, Member
- Board of Zoning Appeals – London, Member
Experience
Co-Lead counsel in Multi-District Litigation for class action
United States Military
- Judge Advocate, United States Army Reserve. As the former Chief of Training, 9th Legal Services Organization, advised the command and its soldiers on all legal issues. Assumed responsibility for all operations and training within a JAG unit. Retired as Lieutenant Colonel.
- Civil Litigation Attorney, Department of the Army—nominated and competitively selected as a member of the Army Litigation Division. Represented the Departments of Defense and Army in all aspects of sensitive civil litigation, including constitutional challenges to personnel policies. Wrote briefs filed in federal courts throughout the country. Edited briefs of Defense and Justice Department litigators, 1985-87
- Trial Counsel, Fulda, Germany—served as military equivalent of district attorney for a community of 15,000 located on the Iron Curtain. Tried over 60 cases, including those involving murderers and spies, 1983-85
- Legal Assistance Attorney, Frankfurt, Germany—acted as a general practitioner to community of 70,000, providing legal counsel to clients on estate, domestic, landlord-tenant, consumer, and tax law. Drafted approximately 300 separation agreements, 200 wills, and numerous advocacy letters, 1982-83
Appointed Positions
- Special Master, United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Appointed by federal judge in Martin v. Taft to resolve a dispute over $655 million of funding per year for services for mentally retarded and developmentally disabled individuals in Ohio.
- Special Monitor, United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Appointed by federal judge for Value Behavioral Health v. State of Ohio to review contracting process for multi-million dollar public contract.
- Mediator, Appointed by federal and state courts to mediate all types of disputes. Frequently retained by private parties to mediate resolutions of litigated and pre-suit matters, including employment, business, and personal injury matters.
Teaching Positions
- The Ohio State University, College of Law—Legal Writing, Adjunct Assistant Professor, 1991-92
Honors
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2009-2025
- The Best Lawyers in America® Columbus, Ohio “Lawyer of the Year”, 2020, 2022
- Top Rated Litigator, The American Lawyer, 2021
- Ohio Super Lawyers®, 2006-2022
- “Top 50: 2018 Columbus Super Lawyers,” Ohio Super Lawyers®
- AV – Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Central Ohio Lawyer of the Year, 2013