Overview

Mark B. Hillis concentrates his practice in the areas of banking and commercial finance, corporate transactions and commercial real estate. He is an enthusiastic participant with the firm’s Emerging Business Group.

Mark has extensive experience in representing corporations, banks and other financial institutions and businesses with private equity needs. Recent representative engagements for clients include mergers and acquisitions, bank regulatory engagements, private equity investment, and real estate acquisitions, developments, leasing and sales.

With more than 40 years of professional experience, Mark is a leader in the legal community. For 20 years, he has been recognized by Best Lawyers® on their list of The Best Lawyers in America – Real Estate Law. He has been identified by St. Louis Magazine as one of St. Louis’ Best Lawyers and he is regularly recognized by Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers for banking law. In addition, he has been a frequent participant in the Missouri Bankers Association’s annual Legal Counsel Conference.

The son and grandson of attorneys, Mark is personally committed to mentoring young attorneys.  He works closely with young lawyers at Carmody MacDonald and was a former visiting assistant professor of law at Washington University School of Law and adjunct professor at Webster University’s Graduate School of Business.

A native of the northern Indiana town of Logansport, he earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, and earned his B.A. in political science and economics from Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

Education

University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Mich., Order of the Coif, 1972

Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., B.A., Political Science and Economics, 1969

Community Involvement
  • Missouri Bankers Association, Bank Counsel Section Advisory Board of Directors, 1999-present
  • Junior Achievement (JA) of Mississippi Valley, Inc. Board of Directors,1994-2013; chair of the Board of Directors, 2002-2004
  • Board of Directors, St. Andrews Resources for Seniors (STARS), 2006-2014
  • Noonday Club president, 2001
  • Downtown St. Louis, Inc. Board of Directors, 1990-1994
Awards
  • Best Lawyers – “The Best Lawyers in America”
    • Real Estate Law (1995-present)
    • Banking and Finance Law (2017-present)
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers (2005-present)
  • Missouri Lawyers Weekly – ICON Award (2020)
  • St. Louis Small Business Monthly – Best Attorneys List (2020)
  • Best Lawyers – “Lawyer of the Year” – Real Estate Law (2015)
  • Missouri Lawyers Weekly Mentor Award (2014)
  • Best Lawyers, St. Louis Magazine (2006-2014)
  • AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell