J. Mark McKinzie
Partner
317-955-7156
Biography
From his law office in Indianapolis, attorney Mark McKinzie utilizes his more than four decades of experience in the areas of:
- First and third party insurance defense litigation
- Insurance regulatory and coverage issues
- Commercial litigation
- Construction litigation
- Business & corporate law
- Business contract drafting, and negotiating
- Business entity selection
- Contract disputes, and
to provide counsel to and advocacy on behalf of his clients. Mark understands the importance of cost-effective representation of his clients’ interests. He identifies key issues and approaches resolving them with a view toward avoiding litigation which often can be more costly and time consuming for the litigants than initially anticipated.
Where reasonable resolution cannot be obtained, Mark aggressively protects and promotes his clients’ interests and goals. In pursuing a counterclaim for a business owner against a major insurance company in Hamilton County, Indiana, Mark and his co-counsel secured the largest jury verdict for defamation against an American corporation in United States history.
Mark joined Riley Bennett Egloff LLP as a Partner more than two decades ago, after a distinguished career in corporate insurance law, rising to be Senior VP, General Counsel, and Secretary for the Meridian Insurance Companies overseeing the claims and claim litigation functions, all first party litigation, including any allegation of bad faith by the company and serving in that position prior to the company’s sale and merger with State Auto Insurance of Columbus, Ohio.
With his business and legal background and extensive and varied experience, having represented plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of practice areas, Mark possesses and consistently demonstrates keen insight and pragmatic, resourceful solutions beneficial to the parties.
Community Activity
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Parishioner, Member, 1988 – present
- Valleybrook Homeowners’ Association
- Member, 2006 – Present
- President, 2006 – 2018
- Woodland Country Club
- President, 2006
- Board Member, 2004 – 2006
Representative Matters
- Mark has been lead counsel in more than twenty-five jury trials and has represented clients in numerous hearings in front of various regulatory bodies.
- Defended gentlemen’s club in dram shop action involving multiple fatalities.
- Defended insurance company’s interests in regulatory dispute over whether the Department of Insurance or the Department of Finance had primary regulatory jurisdiction in regulating the client’s product.
- Developed innovative process for restoration contractor: sought and secured numerous Court Ordered Appraisal Process Orders, working with contractor and insurance company, when there was a failure to reach an agreed amount of damages for property claim where coverage and causation were not in dispute.
- Guided an investor in publicly traded insurance company to receive necessary regulatory approvals in five states.
- Defended a municipal water company in personal injury action alleging tainted water supply.
- Defended insurance company in targeted Insurance Department Market Conduct Examination and negotiated a significantly reduced Agreed Settlement from Initial Order.
- Defended insurance company in 1st party Bad Faith Claim and secured Summary Judgment for client.
- Indiana counsel for a national P&C insurance company
Publications
Best Lawyers Recognizes 22 RBE Attorneys
22 RBE Attorneys Recognized as Best Lawyers in America Riley Bennett Egloff LLP (RBE) is pleased to announce that 22...
Riley Bennett Egloff Announces 2024 Super Lawyers Honorees
Riley Bennett Egloff Announces 2024 Super Lawyers Honorees 17 RBE Attorneys Recognized by Indiana Super Lawyers...
Riley Bennett Egloff Announces 2024 Best Lawyers Honorees
Riley Bennett Egloff Announces 2024 Best Lawyers Honorees 20 RBE Attorneys Recognized as Best Lawyers in America...
Working with IDOI Yields Favorable Results for RBE Clients
By: J. Mark McKinzie — RBE Partner The second quarter of 2023 resulted in Riley Bennett Egloff obtaining two...
Congratulations to RBE’s 2023 Super Lawyers
Riley Bennett Egloff is proud to announce that eleven of its attorneys were named “Super Lawyers” and six others as...
Nineteen RBE Attorneys Recognized as Best Lawyers in America 2023
RBE is pleased to announce that RBE attorneys Donald Smith & Eric Hylton were recognized by Best Lawyers as 2023...
11 Tips to Maximize the Value of Your Lawyer
The purpose of this quick read is to emphasize the importance of you being an intelligent and discerning user of legal...
Is an in-house counsel position right for you?
Let’s examine the differences between working in-house and as an associate/partner in a law firm. Back when I...
Two Steps You Can Take Today to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones In These Uncertain Times
Times are difficult right now due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Schools and buildings have been shut down, and...
HAPPY SPRING: TIME TO SUE MY SERVICE PROVIDER OR DISPARAGE MY NEIGHBOR!
10 Tips to Quickly, Amicably, Fairly, and Economically Settle Disputes With the beautiful weather the month of May...
Are You Adequately Insured? A Primer About Personal, Casualty, And Commercial Insurance Coverages
There exists a range of property and casualty insurance coverages to protect you, your family, your residence, and...
Presentations
- Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Insurance Litigation,” 60th Annual Central Indiana Chapter of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Conferment Luncheon (October 2006)
- “Potential Benefits of Self-Insurance,” Indiana Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) (2009)
- Indianan Continuing Legal Education Forum, Indiana Insurance Law Symposium (2015)
Awards & Recognition
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Commercial Litigation: 2023 – present
- Insurance Law: 2023 – present
- Litigation — Construction: 2023 – present
- Indiana Super Lawyers, 2022 – present
- Insurance Coverage
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated, 2012 – present
- Indiana Insurance Institute, 2003
- Outstanding Support & Commitment Award
- Indiana Insurance Guaranty Association’s Board of Directors, 1996 – 2000
- Outstanding Leadership Award for four years as Chairman
- Insurance Institute of Indiana Legislative Study Committee, 1992 – 1994
- Leadership Award for serving as Chairman
- Indy Bar Foundation, 2015
- Distinguished Fellow
Associations
- Indiana State Bar Association
- Indianapolis Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Tort and Insurance Practice and Business Law Sections
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana
- Insurance Institute of Indiana Committees, including past Chairman of both Legislative Steering and Amicus Curiae Committees
- Alliance of American Insurers Legal Committee
- National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies Legal Committee
- National Association of Independent Insurers Laws Committee
- Founding Director of the Urban Insurance Partners Foundation
- Member of the Indiana Insurance Guaranty Association Board of Directors
- Chairman, 1996 – 2000
Bar and Court Admissions
- Indiana, 1989
- Illinois, 1979
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
Education
- Indiana University Maurer School of Law, JD, cum laude, 1978
- University of Illinois, MBA with highest honors, 1976
- University of Illinois, BS, Finance with high honors, 1974
Industries Served
Construction
Finance
Government
Insurance
Transportation
Practice Areas
- Business & Corporate Law
- Business Contract Disputes
- Business Contract Drafting & Negotiation
- Business Entity Selection & Formation
- Business Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction
- Construction Contract Drafting & Negotiation
- Construction Litigation & Dispute Resolution
- Government Law
- Insurance
- Insurance Coverage
- Insurance Defense
- Insurance Regulation
- Product Liability
- Shareholder & Partnership Disputes
- Toxic Tort
- Alternative Dispute Resolution