Mark Swatik

Mark Swatik is a Board Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate law under the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, which is a distinction held by less than 1% of California attorneys. Mr. Swatik has been voted “Best Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Attorney” in the South Bay’s “Best of the Beach” awards each and every year since 2019 and the Daily Breeze Readers' Choice Awards "Best Living Trust Attorney" each and every year since 2020. Mr. Swatik is honored to receive these recognitions from our community year after year. Mr. Swatik is “Rated AV Preeminent” by Martindale Hubbell (the highest possible rating) and has been designated as a “Super Lawyer” since 2020.

Mr. Swatik practices in the area of Estate Planning, Revocable Trusts, Probate, and Trust Administration, as well as Trust and Estate litigation.

Mr. Swatik was a law partner at the firm of Sanders, Montalto and Swatik, LLP, and in 2015, Mr. Swatik was invited to join the premier estate planning, business and real estate law firm in the South Bay, Burkley Brandlin Swatik & Keesey LLP, where he served as a named law partner. Following the passing of Mr. Burkley, the firm name became Swatik & Brandlin LLP and after Mr. Brian Brandlin retired in 2023, Mr. Swatik has continued on with a thriving and growing practice as the principal of the Law Offices of Mark E. Swatik, APC.
Concurrent with his partnership at his first law firm, Mr. Swatik also served the Hawthorne Police Department as a Police Sergeant, having performed the roles of Patrol Supervisor/Watch Commander, an Internal Affairs Supervisor, Training and Hiring, a Special Projects Manager for Policy revision, and a Detective Bureau Supervisor. Mr. Swatik also supervised and managed the Defensive Tactics Team and Reserve Officer program, as well as serving as Team Leader of the SWAT/Hostage-Crisis Negotiation Team. Mr. Swatik honorably retired from law enforcement in 2013 to dedicate all of his efforts and time to his law practice.

In 2009, Mr. Swatik graduated from William Howard Taft School of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate degree. Mr. Swatik was selected as the honored recipient of the 10th Annual National Law Enforcement Law School Scholarship (2004), where he was selected as the sole recipient after a comprehensive review of numerous applications submitted by law enforcement personnel from throughout the United States.

Mr. Swatik also earned an MBA, with an emphasis in Finance, from Webster University (Summa Cum Laude), and has an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice. Mr. Swatik is also an Adjunct Graduate Professor for National University’s MPA program.
Mr. Swatik is also a licensed California Real Estate Broker, which has been very beneficial in overseeing dozens of real estate transactions during probate and trust administrative matters.

Mr. Swatik brings an extensive background in business management to the firm’s Estate Planning practice, differentiating him from many other Estate Planning attorneys. Additionally, because Mr. Swatik not only drafts Living Trusts and Estate Plans, but litigates these matters in court, he is provided a unique perspective in understanding the shortcomings of many trusts and how to perfect them whether it be in the area of tax avoidance, creditor protection, or striving to protect the client’s wishes from being successfully challenged later in court.
In addition to his legal experience in areas of estate planning and administration, Mr. Swatik has extensive experience and training in Risk Management and civil liability pertaining to Public Sector employment. He has provided “Use of Force” expert testimony and has been the designated City representative regarding policies and procedures in Federal and State courts. Mr. Swatik also assisted in multiple federal and state civil litigation matters pertaining to municipal defense against civil rights and tort claims. Mr. Swatik has also testified before State Senate and State Assembly Committees for Senate Bill 506 (2005) and Assembly Bill 1595 (2005), and assisted in the drafting of these documents, both of which have been passed into current laws regarding Public Safety Professional’s Privacy Rights.

Mr. Swatik has authored Risk Management newsletters and offered instruction to police agencies on administrative, legal and procedural matters. Mr. Swatik had been the Department’s designated investigator/facilitator during 4 Civil Service Commission disciplinary hearings involving excessive force and police misconduct.

Mr. Swatik has been active in animal rescue and has also been an active martial arts practitioner his entire life, having earned black belts in four separate disciplines, including training under Rigan Machado and being among the group of the first Americans in the United States to earn a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.