Mark K. Bass started his own law practice in 1990. Mark’s areas of practice center on Collaborative Divorce, Mediation, Tort Litigation, and Business Transactions.  Before starting his law practice, Mark was an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the New York City Law Department from 1984-1988. Mark was responsible for the defense of the City of New York and its Agencies in tort claims. Mark was promoted to Tort Trial Specialist. From 1989-1990, Mark was a trial attorney for the law office of Finkelstein, Levine, Gittelson and Tetenbaum. In 1990, Mark left the firm to open his own practice.

Mark sees the need for an alternative to litigating sensitive family issues in court, where both the emotional and economic costs can be overwhelming. Mark has become actively involved in Collaborative Divorce and recognizes the collaborative process as a viable alternative to litigation in resolving disputes. Mark is limiting his matrimonial practice to only representing divorce clients within the Collaborative Process and mediation. For additional information on Collaborative Divorce and Collaborative Law please click on the Collaborative Divorce section of our web site.

Mark mediates marital disputes (separation, divorce, custody, financial issues, and distribution of property), disputes between non-married couples, personal injury matters, trust, estate and will disputes and partnership and business disputes. Mark is a mediator with the Westchester Mediation Center. Mark was a mediator for the Storm Sandy Mediation Program administered by the American Arbitration Association. Mark also mediates personal injury cases for Amicus Mediation and Arbitration Group, Inc. He has mediated in the Westchester Surrogate’s Court Mediation Program. For additional information on Mediation please click on the mediation section of our web page.

In addition to representing clients in the Collaborative Process and Mediation, Mark’s clients include State Authorities. The types of cases handled for these Authorities include, but are not limited to premises liability, auto, bus and train accidents, products liability and wrongful death actions.

Mark also represents clients who have been involved in accidents. The types of cases handled include, but are not limited to civil rights violations, premises liability, property damage, auto accidents, wrongful death, construction accidents, dog bites and products liability cases. Mark has also appeared Of Counsel to several prominent firms in New York City, assisting them with their litigation matters.

Mark earned his J.D. in Law from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, in New York City (1984). He has a B.A. in Political Science from the State University College at Buffalo, in Buffalo, New York (1979). Mark is admitted to the New York State Bar and the United States District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Mark is an active member of the Hudson Valley Collaborative Divorce & Dispute Resolution Association, the Collaborative Divorce Group of Westchester and Putnam Counties and the New York Civil Collaborative Group.

Mark has taught Political Science and Law related classes as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Politics Program at Marymount College of Fordham University, teaching and designing courses in Constitutional Law and Civil Rights, The American Judicial Process, American Government and Public Policy Making. Mark has also taught classes in American Government at Westchester Community College and Mercy College.

Mark is a past Co-Chair of the Hudson Valley Collaborative Divorce & Dispute Resolution Association. Mark’s work was published in the IACP Collaborative Review, Volume 9, Issue 5, Spring 2007 “Creative Strategies for Enrolling the Reluctant Spouse in the Collaborative Process”. Mark has taught the Collaborative Process to lawyers, mental health providers and financial professionals.