Christensen & Jensen Attorneys

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mark is a seasoned trial attorney, having tried more than 50 cases to jury verdict or decision by the judge, representing both defendants and plaintiffs. Mark’s practice is an interesting mix: In addition to traditional commercial litigation (with emphasis in securities litigation), he regularly defends workers’ compensation and personal injury claims, and pioneered the defense of alcohol liability claims under the Utah Dramshop Act. Mark is co-chair of the firm’s Personal Injury Defense practice group.

Presently a Vice President of the Firm, Mark is a member of the Utah and Salt Lake County Bar Associations, and is admitted to practice in all state and federal Utah courts, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

PRACTICE AREAS

Commercial Litigation: Mark represents businesses and brokers in securities cases, contract disputes, and other commercial litigation.

Workers’ Compensation: Mark defends employers and insurers at the Utah Labor Commission, including claims involving traumatic injury, repetitive motion, occupational disease and toxic exposure. Mark also assists in recovering liens under the Workers’ Compensation Act.

Alcohol Liability: Perhaps no attorney in Utah has had more visible involvement in dramshop liability cases than Mark. He was involved in obtaining summary judgment, and then arguing at the Utah Supreme Court, a case that resulted in the direct amendment of the Dramshop Act to exclude ordinary businesses from the purview of the Act (Stephens v. Bonneville Travel, 935 P.2d 518 (Utah 1997)), successfully obtained summary judgment and had affirmed on appeal a case involving whether a customer of the dramshop has a viable claim under the Act (Richardson v. Matador Steak House, 948 P.2d 347 (Utah 1997)), and tried to jury verdict, and then successfully appealed, a case that involved issues of available damages for death under the Act, and whether punitive damages can be recovered from a dramshop (Adkins v. Uncle Bart’s, 1 P.3d 528 (Utah 2000)).

Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith: Mark evaluates coverage under contracts of insurance (commercial general liability, automobile, homeowners), prosecutes and defends declaratory judgment actions involving coverage, and represents both plaintiffs and defendants in allegations of bad faith handling of insurance claims.

RECOGNITION

• "Super Lawyer” recognition by SuperLawyers Magazine/Thomson-Reuters, personal injury, 2010, 2011
• 2007 - Named one of Utah’s Elite Lawyers in the practice area of "Insurance law" by Utah Business Magazine" Utah Legal Elite” recognition by Utah Business magazine, Personal Injury, 2010, 2011, Insurance Law, 2007

EDUCATION

• University of Utah, J.D., 1988
• University of Utah, M.B.A., 1988
• University of Utah, B.A. in Economics, 1984