Mark W. Bakker, Member
Mark Bakker's practice focuses on commercial litigation with an emphasis in employment law, including:
- Litigating cases in state and federal courts and before arbitration panels.
- Litigating discrimination and wage-and-hour lawsuits.
- Handling EEOC and other agency charges and claims.
- Litigating restrictive covenants and other employee raiding and recruitment cases.
- Bringing and defending ERISA benefit and other insurance-related claims.
- Counseling on terminations, discipline, WARN Act, and layoffs.
- Proactive employment advice and counseling for human resource personnel and management.
- Drafting employment and executive contracts.
- Reviewing employee handbooks and other employment policies.
- Designing dispute resolution systems for employee-employer disputes.
- Presenting in-house seminars for employment clients and employment-related CLEs.
Mark also has a well established mediation and alternative dispute resolution practice and is certified to mediate in the South Carolina state and federal courts
Professional Background
| 1996-Present | Wyche Burgess Freeman & Parham, P.A. |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Law Clerk, Hon. William B. Traxler, Jr., United States District Court for the District of South Carolina |
| 1995 – 96 | Law Clerk, Hon. Eugene E. Siler, Jr., United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit |
Educational Background
| 1995, J.D. | University of North Carolina School of Law, with high honors; North Carolina Law Review, Member, 1993–94; Articles Editor, 1994–95; Order of the Coif |
|---|---|
| 1991, B.A. | Furman University, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa |
Professional Activities and Memberships
- South Carolina Bar Association
- American Bar Association: Employment and Labor Law Section; Alternate Dispute Resolution Section
- Federalist Society
- Defense Research Institute: Employment Law Committee; Life, Health & Disability Committee
- South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association
- Upstate Mediation Network
Bar and Court Admissions
- North Carolina Bar, 1995
- South Carolina Bar, 1996
- South Carolina State and Federal Courts
- North Carolina State and Federal Courts
- Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
Representative Community Activities
- Leadership Greenville, Class XXVI
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greenville Volunteer (1999–2000)
- Upstate Community Mediation Center, Board Member (1999–2007), Vice Chairman (1999–2000), Chairman (2001–03)
- Downtown Presbyterian Church
- East Park Historic Preservation Area, President (1999–2000)
Publications
- Author, “Repairing the Breach and Reconciling the Discordant: Mediation in the Criminal Justice System”, 72 North Carolina Law Review 1479 (1994).
- Contributing Editor, Tortious Interference in the Employment Context – A State-by-State Survey, published by the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2d ed. (2007)
Representative CLE Presentations:
- “Time Off in South Carolina,” Lorman Education Services, Greenville, South Carolina, October 20, 2004
- “Mental Health and Emotional Issues in the Workplace,” Sterling Education Services, Greenville, South Carolina, April 6, 2004
- “Workplace Torts,” Sterling Education Services, Greenville, South Carolina, January 22, 2003
- “Payment On A Salaried Basis: Preserving the Exemption,” Lorman Education Services, Greenville, South Carolina, September 28, 2000
- “Defining Your Role In Protecting Your Employees When Domestic Violence Becomes A Workplace Issue,” Council on Education in Management, Greenville, SC, November 3, 1998
- “Mediating Criminal Conflicts,” South Carolina Council for Conflict Resolution, Charleston, SC, October 9, 1998
Awards and Honors
- Greenville Business Magazine’s Best and Brightest Under 35, 2004
- Finalist, Greenville Chamber of Commerce Young Professional of the Year Award, 2006
- Listed in Best Lawyers In America, 2007–2008
Government Service
- Panel Member, South Carolina Procurement Review Panel (June 2003–Present)