O'Mara Law Group
221 NE Ivanhoe Blvd Ste 200
Orlando, FL 32804
(407) 898-5151 www.markomaralaw.com
Mark M. O'Mara has been a fixture in the Central Florida legal community since 1982. While he started his career as a prosecutor for the State Attorney's office in Seminole County, he quickly crossed to the other side of the courtroom and has served as a defense attorney ever since. Mark is one of the very few lawyers in Florida who is Board Certified in both Criminal Trial Law and Marital and Family Law, he is certified in Collaborative Law and is a Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator and Circuit Civil Mediator. He has practiced in both state and federal courts throughout the southeast and has co-counseled on matters throughout the nation. As a trial consultant, Mr. O'Mara helps other lawyers perform at their peak in trials with complicated legal issues and intense media scrutiny. After leading the high-profile defense of George Zimmerman, Mr. O'Mara received acclaim for his even-handed management of the controversial case. His on-camera experience during the trial earned him the honor of being a CNN legal analyst. Since the verdict, Mr. O'Mara has decided to use his voice to contribute to the national conversation about race, guns, self-defense, the media, and the criminal justice system -- and he speaks frequently on these topics. Moreover, he started a non-profit organization called Justice Outreach, designed to identify and fix problems with the justice system, and he is an advocate for change in state and national laws that lead to the over-prosecution of American citizens, whether it be by unbridled prosecutors or inappropriately applied minimum mandatory sentencing schemes. He also heads up the Talking Race project (www.talkingrace.com) where he works with Dr. Jeffrianne Wilder of UNF. He has recently expanded his practice to include representing client aggrieved by large corporations, from drug and medical device manufacturers to automobile companies in an area of law known as Mass Torts. He and his team look forward to utilizing the research and trial presentation skilled honed over thirty years to hold these companies responsible for their wrongs, and to make them more responsible in their future behavior. Mr. O'Mara earned his J.D. from Florida State University College of Law in 1982, and received his undergraduate degree from University of Central Florida in 1979. He has taught at the University of Central Florida and Harvard Law School; has taught seminars for the Criminal Law Section of The Florida Bar, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Trial Lawyers, South Carolina Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association, Central Florida Family Law American Inn of Court, the Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, the Florida Homicide Investigators Association, the University of Buffalo Mock Court Competition, the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Florida Family Law Practice for Paralegals program. He is Martindale-Hubbell A.V. Preeminent rated, served as President of the Seminole County Bar Association and as President of the Central Florida Family Law American Inn of Court. He has most recently been selected as a member of the NTL Round Table, the top 100 most Influential Trial Lawyers in America and was selected as the NTL Criminal Trial Lawyer of the Year.
Areas of Practice
Criminal Law
DUI/DWI
White Collar Crimes
Family Law
Child Support
Custody & Visitation
Divorce
Internet - Cyberspace
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Certified Legal Specialties
Criminal Trial Specialist, Florida Bar, 1996
Board Certified, Criminal Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education
Certified Circuit Civil and Family Mediator, Florida Supreme Court
Marital and Family Law, Florida Bar, 2011
Bar Admissions
Florida, 1982
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1984
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1984
Education
Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida
J.D. - 1982
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
B.A. - 1979
Honors: Dean's List
Major: Pre Law Political Science
Professional Associations and Memberships
Seminole County Bar Association, Past President, 1999 - Present
American Bar Association, Member
The Florida Bar, Criminal Law & Family Law Sections, Member
Law Office Management, Member
Grievance Committee, Chair, 1997 - 1999
Criminal Law Certification Committee, Member
Florida Association of Trial Lawyers, Member
Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
C.F. Family Law Inn of Court, Member
State Attorney's Office, Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Seminole County, Member, 1982 - 1984
Federal Court Grievance Committee, Chair
Orange County Bar Association
Past Employment Positions
Seminole County State Attorney Office, Assistant State Attorney, 1982 - 1984