Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP is pleased to announce the Honorable Mark Falk has joined the firm as Counsel, bringing a wealth of legal and judicial experience gained over his distinguished four-decade legal career. Judge Falk will lead the firm’s Mediation, Arbitration and Special Master Appointments practice.
“We are honored to welcome Judge Falk, a respected jurist with a reputation for fair-mindedness,” said Liza M. Walsh, co-founder and managing partner. “Our clients will be well served by his deep knowledge of the law, experience as a mediator, and pragmatic approach. In addition to assisting clients with complex litigation matters, he will act as a mediator or arbitrator, helping parties reach a mutually agreeable resolution to their conflicts.”
Judge Falk served the District of New Jersey with distinction before retiring, having been appointed that Court’s first Chief Magistrate Judge. Before taking the bench, he was a partner with several top law firms over 25 years in private practice, specializing in complex litigation and serving as lead trial counsel in numerous high-profile cases in the state and federal courts. Judge Falk brings deep experience in resolving complex, challenging disputes, as he conducted thousands of settlement conferences and mediations while on the bench. Judge Falk has also held several judicial leadership positions, including as President of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association, a reflection of his national reputation for fairness and pragmatism.
“I decided to join Walsh because of the firm’s dedication to high quality legal work in its sophisticated practice but mostly because of my respect and admiration for the firm’s attorneys,” said Judge Falk. “I look forward to collaborating with my new colleagues, many of whom I have worked with in the past. I have had many opportunities to observe their practice in court; they are excellent lawyers dedicated to resolving client matters effectively and efficiently.”
Judge Falk is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham Law School and at Rutgers Law School. He has lectured on various legal topics at numerous other law schools and continuing legal education seminars, including the New Jersey ICLE, the Federal Judicial Conference for continuing judicial education, and the New York Intellectual Property Association. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a member of numerous Bar Associations. Judge Falk is a former Trustee of the Legal Services Foundation. He has also served in numerous roles on the New Jersey District Ethics Committee. In addition to his role in the Federal Magistrate Judges Association, Judge Falk served two terms on the Advisory Committee on the Administration of the Magistrate Judge System in Washington.
He holds a law degree cum laude from New York Law School, where he was a published member of the Law Review, and a bachelor’s degree from Antioch College. He was a law clerk to the Honorable John C. Demos, Assignment Judge, NJ Superior Court.
About Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP
With decades of experience in litigation, compliance and transactional matters, Walsh is comprised of 26 dedicated, forward-thinking professionals. The practice spans a wide range of areas including business and commercial litigation, intellectual property and trade secret protection, class action defense, financial services and risk management with a focus on insolvency & creditors’ rights, labor and employment, internal investigations, cyber security and data protection, alternative dispute resolution and transactional work. The firm has offices in Newark, New York City and Philadelphia. More information can be found at Walsh.Law.
