Mark Shaefer is an Augusta native and is admitted to practice in both Georgia and Alabama. His legal career is a fusion of scientific insight, advocacy, and trial experience and stands as a testament to versatility as an asset in the practice of law. He joined as counsel for Fulcher Hagler in October 2023.
A graduate of Augusta Prep, Mark attended Mercer University where he pursued his passion for science. He studied genetics and received a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He then returned to Augusta and co-founded a non-profit focused on education. This experience impressed upon Mark the importance of trained scientific inquiry outside of the traditional realms of research and medicine, and ultimately inspired his pursuit of a career in law.
He returned to Mercer for law school in 2008 and received his J.D. in 2011. Having moved to Birmingham with his wife, Dr. Alexis Shaefer, Mark began in-house with a thriving environmental services company. He routinely handled regulatory, environmental, employment, and contract issues, and gained lasting insight from his unique view of the law through the eyes of a growing business. He built upon these early lessons and when he joined the litigation practice group at Bradley Arant, where met the rigorous demands of clients in the pharmaceutical industry.
In 2016 Mark and his wife returned to Augusta, and he joined the District Attorney’s Office where he served as an Assistant District Attorney until the end of 2020. In the Superior Courts of Richmond, Columbia, and Burke counties, Mark honed his talent for written and oral argument, and gained invaluable trial experience as both first and second chair for numerous criminal trials and as the lead attorney for the civil forfeiture division.
Starting in 2021, Mark entered private practice with the law firm Fleming & Nelson where the diversity of his legal experiences helped him navigate complex and varied legal landscapes. He represented clients including law enforcement, doctors, local governments, and large businesses, securing successful outcomes in probate, magistrate, state and superior courts, as well as before administrative boards, merit boards, grand jury, and trial juries.
The strength of Mark’s practice lies in his dedication to his clients and his ambition to explore and understand information from all corners of the intellectual landscape.
Mark is the father of two boys and a girl. If his free time is not being spent with his kids and wife, then he is probably building, renovating, or remodeling something (currently, a sailboat). He was awarded his first patent in October, 2020. His interests include sailing, scuba diving, cycling, and travel.
Mark has secured successful outcomes at several criminal trials, and was recently part of the civil trial team that successfully represented Burn and Reconstructive Centers of America.
He successfully argued for the full reinstatement and backpay of the pension of retired 30-year veteran firefighter.
He secured the dismissal of all criminal charges in a novel case of the illegal aerial and ground search of a client’s property.
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