Mark K. Ameli, Esq. was the first Iranian American attorney in California to practice tort law, workers compensation law and business law, and he was among the first Iranian American Attorneys in the United States. His career and experience as an attorney, a mediator, an arbitrator, and a Judge Pro Tem over the past 40 years is recognized and respected throughout the state. He has been described in print as an “effective mediator” who has “a wealth of knowledge” and is “quick and gets to the point” which is the necessary support for any sort of dispute resolution.
Mr. Ameli has extensive experience in the resolution of matters in the areas of general business, including the preparation and negotiation of contracts, the formation and administration of corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies; business litigation; personal injury matters; real estate matters, and employment matters.
Mr. Ameli uses his perception and experience from both sides of the bench to bring the reality of the case to eyes of the parties. With a patient and honest attitude, Mr. Ameli easily gains the trust of the parties so that he can effectively mediate and ultimately resolve the matter at hand. He also has a particular insight into cross-cultural issues which makes him more capable than most in handling matters that have reached cultural barriers that parties could not pass on their own.
People have said that “When he says something, it carries more value or weight than any typical lawyer.”
Mr. Ameli is Adjunct Professor of Law teaching Conflict Resolution and Torts at the University of West Los Angeles. He is the past Chair of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee of Rotary International, District 5280. He was also the Chair of the Conflict Resolution Section with the Beverly Hills Bar Association, where he instilled and developed many of the mediation and arbitration rules that are followed today. He continues as a member of that section.
Personally, he has served on the Board of the Southern California Mediation Association, Rancho Park Rotary Club, and the Iranian American Lawyers Association, which he also founded. He is fluent in Farsi and in English. He carries a BA from UC Berkeley in Economics, an MA from USC in Economics, and a JD from UWLA. He has also completed many advanced level mediation courses at Pepperdine and Harvard University.
Education
- University of West Los Angeles, J.D., 1980
- University of Southern California, M.A., Economics, 1972
- University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Economics, 1970