Mark D. Belongia

Mark D. Belongia is widely recognized as a tough, highly respected litigator and his skills in the courtroom consistently deliver favorable results. Mr. Belongia’s mission is to provide his clients the best legal support and counsel possible. His client representation includes keeping clients up to date on the status of all matters and having open lines of communication at all times. The belief in a hands-on approach reflects his tough and persistent advocacy and his attention to all aspects of a client’s business.

Mark represents a wide variety of high profile clients.  His practice includes representing clients across a vast spectrum of industries including Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, professional sports figures and teams, entertainment businesses and individuals in complex commercial and tort litigation. Mr. Belongia has successfully litigated cases throughout the country and has vast jury trial experience.

• Preparing independent legal opinion memorandums for submission by community banks to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
• Defending a community bank against a class action brought under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act.
• Arguing the only known case in Illinois in which a bank attempted to prevent the Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation from closing it and appointing the FDIC as receiver.
• Representing former directors and officers of failed financial institutions during FDIC investigations.
• Representing former directors and officers of failed financial institutions as defendants in lawsuits brought by the FDIC in its capacity as receiver of failed institutions.
• Representing directors and officers of financial institutions as respondents in administrative actions brought by the FDIC to remove individuals from the banking industry.
• Successfully obtaining insurance coverage for former directors and officers of failed banking institutions after initial denials of coverage were issued by the insurance carriers.
• Representing boards of directors of troubled banks.

Commercial Litigation:

• Successfully represented a restoration company in a $784,000 claim against the Willis Tower and had the claim paid within three weeks of sending a demand letter.
• Obtained a jury verdict in excess of $1,000,000 after a several week trial for a local businessman against foreign defendants – companies and individuals from Korea, India, and China.
• Representing the Office of the Cook County Public Guardian in lawsuits against attorneys who allegedly failed to properly probate personal injury settlements to the detriment of the disabled persons.
• Represented a medical school graduate against the University Of Chicago Medical School related to claims of resume fraud preventing the issuance of a medical degree.
• Uncovered a Ponzi scheme and reporting it the Securities & Exchange Commission resulting in civil and criminal charges being brought against the perpetrator, David Hernandez.
• Lead local counsel for numerous New York law firms in large multi-party litigation.
• Ongoing representation of both professional athletes and professional sports teams.

Entertainment Litigation:

• Successfully represented a family against Fox Broadcasting Co. arising out of the reality television show Renovate My Family.  The case made international headlines and was amicably resolved during the litigation.
• Presented oral argument before the U.S. Appellate Court for the Second Circuit located in New York for a trademark and copyright dispute case, Ivy Silberstein v. Twentieth Century Fox, et al. which related to claims against the producers of the motion picture Ice Age.
• Representing an independent film producer in a breach of contract lawsuit against famed film director Martin Scorsese which was amicably resolved during the litigation.

REPORTED DECISIONS:

• Silberstein v. Twentieth Century Fox, John Does 1-10, 242 F. App’x. 720 (2d Cir. 2007)
• Koppel v. Michael, 374 Ill. App. 3d 998, 871 N.E.2d 888 (1st Dist. 2007)
• Chicago Exhibitors Corp. v. Jeepers! of Illinois, Inc., 376 Ill. App. 3d 599, 876 N.E.2d 129 (1st Dist. 2007)
• Cohen v. Compact Power Sys., LLC, 382 Ill. App. 3d 104, 887 N.E.2d 668 (1st. Dist. 2008)
• Flores v. Diamond Bank, 2008 WL 4861511 (N.D. Ill. November 7, 2008)
• Aleshire v. Harris, N.A., 2010 WL 2720757, (N.D. Ill. July 8, 2010)
• Mahru v. Health Care Service Corp., 2010 WL 3385454, (N.D. Ill. August 23, 2010)
• Broughton-Irving v. Saphir, 2010 WL 4810605, (N.D. Ill. November 18, 2010)
• F.D.I.C., ex rel. Ravenswood Bank v. Republic Title Co., 2011 WL 1526817 (N.D. Ill. April 20, 2011)

MEDIA COVERAGE:
Mark’s extensive expertise has landed him appearances on NBC’s “Today Show”, NBC5 Chicago News, and WGN-AM Radio, as well as having been quoted by ABC News, The New York Times, New York Post, New York Daily News, New York Newsday, International Herald Tribune, London Daily Telegraph, Los Angeles Times, CBS2 Chicago, Fox Chicago, Crain’s Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Daily Herald, Chicago Tribune, Hartford Courant, McDonough County This Week, and Macomb Journal newspapers.

He has also been quoted on various websites such as China Daily, Bank Asset Network, Business Wire.com, Justia.com, Courthouse News Service, Registered Rep, Mortgage Fraud Reporter, Risk & Insurance Online, ReelChicago.com, ESPN, Fox Sports, and Yahoo!. This invaluable experience has made him a popular and engaging speaker for local forums and conferences which includes lecturing at seminars such as the Community Bankers Association of Illinois’s Fall 2010 Banking Conference.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Mr. Belongia is an active member of the Justinian Society of Lawyers, Chicago Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association. His bar admissions include the State of Illinois; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan; U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit; U.S. Tax Court; and the U.S. Supreme Court.

EDUCATION:
Mr. Belongia received a bachelor of science in business administration from Drake University, and earned honors as a Drake Founders Scholarship recipient, Andrew Corporation Scholarship recipient and Illinois State Scholar.  He received his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, having appeared on the Dean’s list.