Mark H. Taupeka was born July 29, 1967 in South Weymouth, Massachusetts.  He grew up in a New Jersey suburb of New York City where his father worked on Wall Street in New York City.  He moved to Fairhope, Alabama in the first grade when his father purchased Emperor Clock Company, at the time the world’s largest manufacturer of grandfather clock kits.  Mark attended Bayside Academy preparatory school in Daphne, Alabama until he transferred to St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile, Alabama where he graduated valedictorian in 1985.  Mark received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida where he graduated with High Honors in 1989.

Mark began his career with Andersen Consulting, which later became Accenture, in Tampa, Florida.  After three years, he attended law school at the University of Alabama where he attained his Juris Doctor degree in 1995.  He was admitted to the Alabama State Bar later that year.  Mark accepted employment in Atlanta, Georgia with the public accounting firm of Arthur Andersen LLP where he was a multi-state corporate tax advisor.  Mark was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1997.  After a quick promotion to Manager, Mark joined KPMG LLP’s Atlanta office in 2002 where he was promoted to Senior Manager.  In 2004, Mark and his family, wife and two young sons, moved to Mobile Bay’s eastern shore where Mark worked in his family’s real estate business.  Mark remains a Director, Vice President and General Counsel for Taupeka & Co., Inc.  In 2007, Mark joined what was then Blackburn & Conner, P.C.  After five years, he became a partner, and the firm name changed to Blackburn, Conner & Taupeka, P.C.  In 2015, Mark opened his solo practice Taupeka Law, LLC.  He also co-founded Orange Beach Title, LLC.  Both are located in Orange Beach, Alabama.  Today Orange Beach Title, LLC is owned by Mark and his wife Kathleen.  Emsley Lambert is Mark’s closing manager, legal assistant and all-around right-hand person.

Mark is licensed to practice in all state courts in Alabama, as well as the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts in Mobile.  Mark has extensive trial experience involving real estate matters, particularly condominiums.  In addition to court appearances, Mark has represented clients in scores of arbitrations.  Mark has extensive transactional experience, assisting clients in negotiation, due diligence, document preparation and review, and ultimately closing.  Mark helps clients form companies and navigate processes in probate court and with the Alabama Secretary of State.  Mark holds a real estate sales person’s license with the Alabama Real Estate Commission and has represented brokers and agents before the Commission.  Mark also holds a title insurance agent’s license with the Alabama Department of Insurance.  Mark is certified in general civil and appellate mediation.  He is on the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution (the administrative arm of the Alabama Supreme Court Commission on Dispute Resolution) Roster of Mediators and Arbitrators.

When Mark is not serving the legal services needs of his beloved Baldwin County, he enjoys spending time with his family and simply being outdoors whether boating, playing ball with his sons, running or playing tennis.  Mark has run four marathons (New York, Chicago and twice San Diego) and participated in USTA state tournaments in Alabama.  Mark and his family attend Three Circle Church in Fairhope, Alabama.