Technically a Spokane Native, Mark was born in Van Nuys California, and his parents moved to Spokane in 1974 just in time for Expo (for those younger folks, Spokane actually did host the World’s Fair in 1974). He graduated from Mead High School in 1990, where he did pretty much everything he could to avoid being a lawyer. As destiny would have it, prior to his senior year, he was approached by Penny Johnston, the Mead High School debate coach. She asked if he would be interested in being on the Debate team. Clearly, he thought debate was boring, and turned her down. Not to be deterred, Penny then called his mom who said: “Just give it a try…what else do you have going on?” This was the beginning.
Debate provided the confidence in public speaking that Mark needed to consider law school. He graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2003 with a degree in History and a minor in communications. After graduating, he worked many different jobs, from waiting tables to construction to retail. He also lived in England for about 5 months and worked 6 summers at YMCA Camp Reed. His nickname at Camp Reed is Snideremark.
Despite trying his best to avoid being a lawyer, Mark knew that he was ready for more schooling, and decided upon law school. He graduated from Gonzaga University and went out on his own right away. Despite the difficulties, Mark has been serving Spokane as a lawyer for almost twenty years and considers it the best job of his life.
Mark believes that his true legal education began when he started practicing law and has learned that some of the best questions to ask when making a motion, or going to trial, are: “What happens if I win?” It is important that your law firm understands that “winning” can cause unintended consequences. Your lawyer should also know whether or not the motion you are making will truly help your family in the long run. Your law firm should definitely understand that this is a serious area of law, and that children’s futures can be at stake.
“People walk into our firm…not paychecks. This is why I love working in Family law. My staff reflects this enthusiasm. No question Family law is one of the most difficult and emotionally charged areas of the law. In the end, I have figured out that most lawyers either can’t or don’t want to work in Family law. It’s just too hard. That’s why we have the people on my team. These people have chosen to be here and do the work. They aren’t here as a last resort. They are here because they love what they do. I love what I do. This is my firm. Family law is what we do. If you are reading this you are likely in crisis. We can help. I look forward to helping you.” - Mark Hodgson
