MARK RITCHIE, FCIArb FACICA
P.O. Box 300087, Houston, Texas 77230
713.498.0675 | mark@markritchielawfirm.com

INTRODUCTORY PROFILE
Knowledgeable arbitrator and appellate advocate, combining more than 20 years of legal experience with extensive training through the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Admitted to the practice of law in New York, Washington D.C., and Texas, and admitted as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Member in good standing of multiple arbitration institutions, based primarily in Europe, the Americas, and the Indo-Pacific region.

PROFESSIONAL LEGAL EXPERIENCE
Law Office of Mark Ritchie, P.C.
Principal/Owner 2015-Present
Established legal practice specialising in litigation and arbitration.
·        Diverse civil litigation and appellate practice at both the federal and state level.
·        Public arbitrator for multiple cases administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
· Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA).
· Member of panel of arbitrators for multiple arbitration institutions.
· Fully-qualified mediator.

Faubus Keller & Burford LLP
Associate Attorney 2013-2015
Senior associate of firm specialising in breach of contract and business tort cases.
· Drafted complex motions and appellate briefs with minimal supervision.
· Discovery and motion practice for complex business fraud/breach of fiduciary duty cases involving multiple defendants.
· Made frequent appearances for oral argument before trial and appellate courts.

Pulaski & Middleman
Contract Attorney 2012-2013
Managed inventories of potential clients for asbestos/pharmaceutical claims:
·        Conducted hundreds of interviews of potential clients, explaining potential grounds for claims.
·        Evaluated factual basis for claims and obtaining documentation to be included in files delivered to co-counsel.
·        Supervised and provided guidance to non-lawyer support staff regarding queries from potential clients.

Caddell & Chapman
Contract Attorney 2011-2012
Performed document review and legal research services to plaintiff-oriented class action firm.
· Systematically reviewed and classified documents for large-scale design defect and consumer overdraft litigation.
· Provided legal research and analysis of discrete legal issues on an as-needed basis.

Tramonte & Associates
Contract Attorney 2011-2012
Handled pre-trial litigation of insurance defence and admiralty cases, with primary emphasis on drafting dispositive and discovery motions.

Silber Pearlman, L.L.P.
Associate Attorney 2001-2005
Represented plaintiffs in product liability and mass-tort claims against manufacturers, distributors, and premises owners to recover for serious illness caused by silica and asbestos exposure.
· Prepared and successfully presented hundreds of clients and witnesses for deposition.
· Appeared for mediations and docket calls, negotiated favourable settlements with roster of assigned product manufacturers.

Mark H. Ritchie, Attorney at Law
Solo practitioner 2000-2001
Delivered litigation support services to small plaintiff firms.
·        Drafted pleadings, motions, and appellate briefs for claims primarily based on negligence, premises liability, and mass/toxic tort.
·        Made frequent court appearances in connection with discovery and summary judgment motions.
·        Presented plaintiffs for deposition in wrongful death and mass/toxic tort cases.
·        Took depositions of management representatives and designated medical experts in premises liability and personal injury cases.

Harrison, Bettis & Staff, L.L.P.
Associate Attorney 1999-2000
Represented plaintiffs and defendants in small civil litigation firm, specialising in personal-injury, breach of contract, and commercial-construction litigation.
·        Drafted pleadings, motions, and appellate briefs in insurance-defence and commercial litigation
·        Handled all aspects of discovery and motion practice in multiple insurance-defence cases.
·        Presented clients for deposition and managed discovery in construction liability cases.

NON-PRACTICING LEGAL EXPERIENCE
Jones McClure Publishing
Staff Writer/Development Editor 2005-2009
Editorial Assistant 1995-1999
· Provided legal research, editing, and proofreading for all titles in O’Connor’s Texas, California, and Federal Law Practice Guides and Codebooks. Drafted multiple subchapters for Texas Family Law Handbook and California Civil Pre-trial Handbook. Participated in editing and revision of subchapters written by staff writers and outside authors.

CERTIFICATES/COURSEWORK
·        FINRA Public Arbitrator Certification (November 2016)
·        FINRA Chairperson Certification (December 2016)
·        CIArb Accelerated Route to Fellowship International Arbitration Programme with Award Writing Examination (May 2017)
·        40-Hour Mediation Training Program, Dispute Resolution Center - Harris County (June 2019)
·        Certificate in International Commercial Arbitration - American University/Washington College of Law (March 2020)
·        Investor-State Arbitration - American University/Washington College of Law (June 2020 - course audit and readings)
·        Damages and Compensation in International Commercial and Investment Arbitration - American University/Washington College of Law (June 2020 - course audit and readings)

EDUCATION
South Texas College of Law - Juris Doctor (With Honours) 1996
·        Corpus Juris Secundum Award for Academic Excellence in Torts
·        Member, South Texas Law Review
·        Outside Article Review Committee, South Texas Law Review
·        Recipient of Diane C. Barber Award for Distinguished Service, South Texas Law Review
·        Judicial Externship with First Court of Appeals, Houston, Texas

Texas A&M University - Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy 1991

ADMISSIONS, MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
Admission to Practice
· New York
·        Washington, D.C.
·        State of Texas
·        Southern District of Texas
·        Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
·        Supreme Court of the United States
·        Solicitor for the Senior Courts of England and Wales

Memberships/Affiliations
·        Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
- NAB Communications Committee, 2020
· Fellow, Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA)
·        Panel of Arbitrators, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
·        Panel of Arbitrators, Asian International Arbitration Centre (formerly KLRCA), 2018-2021 term
·        Panel of Arbitrators, New Zealand International Arbitration Centre (NZIAC)
·        Panel of Arbitrators, New Zealand Dispute Resolution Centre (NZDRC)
·        Panel of Arbitrators, Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC)
·        State Bar of Texas Appellate Section
·        State Bar of Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
·        State Bar of Texas International Law Section
·        Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Section
·        Houston Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
·        Houston Bar Association International Law Section
- Council member, 2020-21 term
·        Houston Bar Association Securities Litigation and Arbitration Section
·        Houston International Arbitration Club
·        Texas Bar College
·        Texas Association of Mediators

PUBLISHED ARTICLES
·        “Abor is Dead, Long Live Prudential: The Texas Supreme Court Resolves the Split of Authority on Mandamus and Dominant Jurisdiction,” HBA Appellate Lawyer (July 2016).
·        “Appellate Mediation: Embracing a Pragmatic Approach,” HBA Appellate Lawyer (September 2016).
·        “Frivolous Arguments on Appeal: Time for a New Approach,” HBA Appellate Lawyer (December 2016).
·        “Cordial Conversations: Conferring with Opposing Counsel for Better Motion Practice,” Texas Bar Journal (March 2017).
·        “’Sympathetic Summary’ as a Tool for Better Appellate Arguments,” HBA Appellate Lawyer (March 2017).
·        “Natural Language Legal Research and the Importance of Algorithmic Accountability,” HBA Appellate Lawyer (October 2017).
·        “Arbitration’s Appeal,” HBA Appellate Lawyer (March 2018).
·        “U.S. Supreme Court Treats Circuit Split by Recommending Less Vitamin C,” HBA Appellate Lawyer (July 2018).

PRESENTATIONS
· “Schein-ing a Light on Circuit Splits,” CIArb NAB Webinar Panelist (September 15, 2020)

REPRESENTATIVE APPELLATE CASES
·        Alattar v. Kay Holdings, Inc., 485 S.W.3d 113 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2016, no pet.).
·        In re Jinsun LLC, No. 14-15-00568-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Jan. 12, 2016, orig. proceeding).
·        In re Houston Progressive Radiology Assocs., PLLC, 474 S.W.3d 435 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2015, orig. proceeding).
·        In re Kevan Casey, Jinsun LLC, and Far East Strategies, LLC, No. 14-14-00783-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Dec. 23, 2014, orig. proceeding).
·        Int’l Transquip. Indus., Inc. v. Browning/Ferris Indus., Inc., 54 S.W.3d 37 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2001, no pet.).
·        Mitchell v. LaFlamme, 60 S.W.3d 123 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2000, no pet.).