Mark F. Borns

Mark F. Borns

4.4
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 42 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Madison, WI
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Family, Child Custody

10 Odana Ct, Madison, WI

About Mark

Biography

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 175-295 per hour


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Wisconsin for 42 years

State: Wisconsin

Acquired: 1983

Good Standing

No misconduct found

Location

Borns Law Office, LLC

10 Odana Ct, Madison, WI, 53719-1109

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Mark F. Borns's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.4 /5.0

13 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (13) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews | Child Custody

Posted by Kasia | December 22, 2015 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Awesome Lawyer! Highly Recommend

If you are looking for someone who is willing to stand up and fight for you, then Mark Borns is your lawyer! Mark took my case 4 years ago and stepped right in and helped me sort through my ugly divorce. He continues to help me with my post divorce issues and I have been extremely happy with all that... he has done for me and my son. He is a man of good character and knows what is the RIGHT thing to do! Mark and Jenny have been awesome and I am so grateful for them. I highly recommend Borns Law Office.

Posted by John | September 08, 2015 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Professional and ethical......highly recommend

I have known Mark professionally for over 5 years through many child custody conflicts following a divorce. He is widely respected in his field by peers, which is something I have seen firsthand. While I feel unfortunate in the frequency of my legal issues, I couldn't ask for a better attorney to re...present me! I have been awarded favorable outcomes every time to date and I wouldn't consider another attorney. Prior to working with Borns Law I worked with a different attorney that was in a large law firm downtown. While this too was a favorable outcome, I spent more money and had a very difficult time getting to speak to that attorney causing more anxiety and confusion with the process. Mark has taken my calls, answered my emails and seen me in person with a days notice when needed to prepare for upcoming legal proceedings. I also refer to Mark as the voice of reason. Legal issues, especially involving custody of a child are always stressful and cause significant anxiety but Mark maintains a very no nonsense approach and refrains from getting involved in the drama or antagonizing the other party which keeps things professional and above board. For this, I have referred many people to Mark for consultation over the years.

Posted by Davin | February 25, 2011 | Child Custody

One of the best

This is my second time working with Mark on child custody issues, and there is a reason I went back. Mark simply is one of the best lawyers in Madison when it comes to family court issues, and his reputation precedes him. In 2003/2004 he was my attorney when I split up with my ex, and did a great... job for me then, and also helped guide me through the process, and helped me understand the nuances of why things typically turn out the way they do. At the time, my father advised me to find a cheaper lawyer, and I told him that when it comes to issues regarding my daughter, I only wanted the best lawyer I could find. I found that in Mark. When my ex wanted to re-start the custody/placement dispute recently, there was no question as to who I was going to call. The same conversation transpired with my father, with me once again ignoring his advice. I've inherited my family's frugality, but I'm smart enough to know that you save money every day in order to be able to afford the best when you need the best. In part due to the lack of a case on the part of my ex and her attorney, but also, I believe, due to Mark's outstanding reputation, and the quality of the representation he provided me, the motion to dismiss the case was granted before I even had to testify. Mark is not like every other attorney, and he may not carry himself or present himself to you as 'nicely' as you might like. Some attorneys are better at marketing themselves, or might be better at playing well with others--meaning their clients. At the end of the day, I have thick skin, and I also can check my ego at the door. I realize that Mark has years of experience that I don't have, and he has a reputation that speaks for itself. There were more moments 7-8 years ago when I felt like I wasn't being listened to, or that perhaps I needed to be handled with more of a 'kid gloves' approach, but I'm older now, and wiser. You hire a good lawyer because you want a good lawyer. How you 'feel' at the end of the day, or at the end of the case, shouldn't be your primary concern. I presume you hire a lawyer because you want to win your case. Mark is 2 for 2 in my eyes, in my cases, and that's simply perfect. If winning your case isn't that important to you, or if paying more money to a lawyer to have your ego coddled is very important to you, then Mark Borns might not be the best fit for you. If you have a primary goal of winning your case, and that's the most important criteria that you have, if Mark Borns practices law in your specialty--if he is willing to take you on as a client--you'd be very lucky to have him as your lawyer, and I don't think you'll regret it for a minute. Like I said, I can imagine other folks having negative things to say about him, but like all opinions, whether they be online reviews, or word of mouth, you have to take the review with a grain of salt, and see if the reviewer is simply foaming at the mouth because some folks do, or if they have a truly informed opinion, and have made the case for their review. Not all reviews should carry the same weight, so please be a careful customer when it comes to reading reviews. Not all reviews should carry the same weight if this reviewer or that reviewer is nothing like you. This advice is true for lawyers, or products on Amazon.com. Feel free to ignore any bad reviews if the careful scrutiny of them indicates that perhaps the reviewer carries some, or all, of the blame for the bad review. Be an informed consumer, and know what you want from a lawyer. I can't say it enough, because I believe it strongly...if you want the best, then give Mark a call. Check your ego at the door, and hope that he has the time to take your case. I'm a repeat customer, and I think that says a lot. He's simply damn good at what he does.

See All Client Reviews

Mark F. Borns's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Mark
Janice K. Wexler headshot
Janice Wexler

Family lawyer | Apr 19

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Smart, personable and a highly competent, longtime paralegal makes for great client service."

John Andrew Horn headshot
John Horn

Divorce and separation lawyer | Apr 13

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I heartily endorse this lawyer! Over a period of twelve years, I’ve had the pleasure to work with Mark on many cases involving mutual clients. I was so impressed that I hired him to help me with my own post-divorce matters. He’s a life-saver. Mark is proactive and really goes to bat for his clients. At the same time, he’s strategic, meticulous and no-nonsense. His fees are super-reasonable, too. And, all of this is no secret to his peers—Mark is widely regarded as one of the top divorce and separation attorneys in Wisconsin. I highly recommend Mark."

Jason Knutson headshot
Jason Knutson

Divorce and separation lawyer | Mar 08

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mark is a smart lawyer who cares about his clients. He's a strong advocate but still listens to his clients and understands what they need."

Daniel Scott Rosefelt headshot
Daniel Rosefelt

Litigation lawyer | Feb 10

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. I knew Mark many years ago when we were in college at UW Madison. Several years ago, I referred a close relative to Mark for a litigation matter. Mark did an outstanding job and successfully resolved the matter. He is an excellent attorney."

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Criminal defense lawyer | Jun 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Mark. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Patrick J. Taggart II headshot
Patrick Taggart

Divorce and separation lawyer | Apr 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Patricia K. Hammel headshot
Patricia Hammel

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jun 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have worked with Mark as opposing counsel in divorces and he served as Guardian ad Litem for the minor child in one of my cases; I have also worked with him on bankruptcy cases and in cases involving simultaneous bankruptcy and divorce. He is a competetnt, caring, and conscientious advocate for his clients."

Ronald S. Aplin headshot
Ronald Aplin

Family lawyer | May 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mark is an aggressive advocate who is respected by his peers in the Dane County legal community."

Daniel B. Purtell headshot
Daniel Purtell

Family lawyer | Oct 05

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mark is an excellent family law attorney. I have referred all of my clients to him in the past several years since I gave up my family law practice. I can say firsthand that he has taken care of those referrals with skill, competence and compassion. I consider Mark to be one of the top family law litigators in Madison."

View All Endorsements
John Andrew Horn headshot
John Horn

Estate planning lawyer

Robert A. Pretto headshot
Robert Pretto

Personal injury lawyer

Daniel B. Purtell headshot
Daniel Purtell

Estate planning lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2018

AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2016

AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2010

Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, State Bar of Wisconsin

2005

Top Lawyer, Madison, Magazine

2003

Top Lawyer, Madison Magazine

2001

Distinguished Service Award, Dane County Bar Association

Work Experience

1983 - Present

Attorney, Borns Law Office, LLC

1982 - 1982

Airport District Court Prosecutor, King County Prosecuting Attorney

Associations

2001 - Present

Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin

Member

1983 - Present

State Bar of Wisconsin

Member

1983 - Present

Western District Bar Association of Wisconsin

Member

2011 - 2012

Madison Election Advisory Committee

Member

2002 - 2003

Dane County Bar Association

Board Member

1997 - 2005

Office of Lawyer Regulation

Board member, investigator

Sample of Legal Cases

Clay v. Curtis Clay

Appellate court ruled in my client's favor and reversed trial court

See More Legal Cases

Education

1983

U Of Wisconsin

JD - Juris Doctor

1980

University of Wisconsin, Madison

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2014

Noon Luncheon

Child Support

2005

Various events

Family Law Issues

Publications

2009

Information Guide Wisconsin Family Law

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

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  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
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