“I take pride in creating estate plans that solidify my clients’ legacies and in helping their loved ones execute those plans.”
Senior Associate Attorney Mark Laird joined the statewide estate planning and elder law practice Cooper, Adel, Vu & Associates in the Healthcare Planning area in 2017. Today, Mark assists clients with developing and executing their estate plans. Mark is committed to working closely with our clients to make the planning process easy to understand and effective in meeting their goals.
Mark also serves as the lead attorney in our Estate and Trust Administration Department which provides assistance to families who have lost a loved one. In this area, his mission is to help the family settle the deceased’s estate expeditiously. He is sensitive to the difficult time this is for the family, particularly when it is necessary to involve the court system in the complicated probate process. Mark has a firm commitment to making information available to all concerned parties throughout the process. In cases where a spouse has passed away, Mark reviews the surviving spouse’s estate plan to assure that required changes are in place for them to move forward with their lives.
Mark completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Business Operations from Ohio University. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and also completed a Health Law Certificate. During his law school days, he served as a Legal Intern in the Privacy Department with Highmark, Inc. in Pittsburgh, drafting HIPAA legal recommendations to support business innovations and company initiatives. Mark also managed to find time during law school to volunteer with Christian Legal Aid to serve the poor and needy throughout Pittsburgh.
Mark is originally from Lewis Center, Ohio. He and his wife live in Columbus today. He loves spending time with his family, traveling and watching movies. He is an avid sports fan and plays softball in his spare time.
Interview
Where did you grow up?
I am originally from Lexington, Kentucky but grew up between Columbus, Ohio and Lexington.
Why did you decide to become an attorney?
I decided to become an attorney to help people and because I liked the challenge of learning the law and applying it to fact patterns.
Why did you decide to practice Estate Planning & Elder Law?
Professor Frolik at Pitt Law was the person who inspired me to go into Elder Law. Cooper, Adel, Vu was my first opportunity to practice Elder Law and I have loved it ever since.
Why did you decide to come to Cooper, Adel, Vu?
At Cooper, Adel, Vu, I can work with our team of attorneys, tax professionals and advisors to improve my skills and expertise in serving our clients.
What do you hope to accomplish for your clients?
My goal is to provide our clients with peace of mind, knowing that their estates will flow to their loved ones as simply and tax-efficiently as possible.
What are your clients’ worries?
My clients are primarily concerned with protecting their assets from healthcare costs and minimizing taxes so they can leave a legacy for their children. They do not want to be a burden during their lives and want to make it easier for their children when they are gone. For these reasons, they worry about losing their homes, real estate, and other important assets, about making the process difficult for their children after death, and about their kids getting stuck with a large tax bill.
Why is it important to take care of your estate early?
For each person, estate planning must include a thorough assessment of their family situation, health, taxes and investments. To make the most of the plan, you need to be aware that some areas of estate planning can only be taken advantage of at certain ages or at certain stages of life. It’s important to know when those are so that your plan can be protective and/or tax efficient.
What could happen if you pass away without a plan?
If you pass away without a plan, there can be many negative implications. Your assets may not go to the beneficiaries you desire. Settling your estate will be more complex, difficult, and expensive for your loved ones, not to mention the fact that all of your affairs will become public.
What advantage can the one-stop-shop of Cooper, Adel, Vu offer?
We can provide legal, financial, and tax services, depending on the client’s needs and wishes. All of our attorneys, advisors, and tax professionals work and train together and therefore have a breadth of knowledge to help solve client problems. We are able to discuss issues with each other on a daily basis to provide optimal advice to our clients. Using Cooper, Adel, Vu as a one-stop shop ensures that all aspects of your planning are considered together and are consistent.