About Judge Mark Frankel
Frankel would spend the next two decades as the most inventive judge in Wisconsin. His stellar reputation was built on many groundbreaking courtroom innovations and dispute resolution strategies. At the time, judicial mediation was not prevalent or well-known in Wisconsin. Still, Mark was known for empowering parties to resolve minor conflicts without the need or expense of formal court proceedings. This permitted parties who wished to retain their funds and peace of mind to settle their differences privately, without their business being made public.
Notably, Mark Frankel was responsible for developing sentencing guidelines for operating under the influence cases throughout Wisconsin after a comprehensive analysis of the laws revealed that it was unfair and unjust to sentence everyone the same way because some drunk-driving offenses were more severe than others.
Due to his reputation for innovation in and out of the courtroom, Mark was invited to join the faculty of the Wisconsin Judicial College, where he would instruct Wisconsin’s judges on the various forms of court conduct and proceedings. His unique perspective included not only teaching the law but also educating others to recognize subconscious clues and other tiny nuances that can reveal an otherwise reasonable argument. In addition, he focused his efforts on promoting mediation and arbitration because he believed these were (and still are) underutilized alternatives that are just as successful as a formal court trial for matters that may not necessitate a more costly or time-consuming procedure.
Judge Mark Frankel 