About Mark
Mark Schmidt earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1980 after completing a B.A. in Communications Arts & Sciences at the University of the Pacific in 1976. Those two degrees framed a career that blends courtroom work, administrative roles and a long involvement in local bar activities. He entered practice at a time when the legal landscape was changing, and he built a steady practice around litigation and dispute resolution.
Early in his career Schmidt took on responsibilities that went beyond private practice. He has served as a Special Assistant Lawyer General for the State of Illinois, a role that put him into the public side of legal work. He also became a certified arbitrator for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit in DuPage County, Illinois. Those roles have informed how he handles cases and how he approaches procedural and evidentiary issues in court and in alternative dispute settings.
Schmidt’s courtroom credentials extend to federal and state forums. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Illinois and is a member of the Federal Trial Bar. He also holds admission in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Northern District of Indiana. That admission profile has allowed him to handle matters in both federal and state arenas, including cases that require familiarity with multi-jurisdictional procedure.
For many years he has been a partner at Schmidt & Barbrow, PC. At the firm he has handled civil litigation across several practice areas, taking cases through trial and arbitration. His arbitration work connects back to his certification in DuPage County. The firm’s work has included representation in disputes where pretrial strategy and courtroom presentation both matter.
Outside the courtroom he has been active in the DuPage County Bar Association. He chaired the Media Relations Committee in 2002–2003. He later served as vice chair of that committee and as host of DuPage Legal Action in 2005–2006. He has maintained membership in local legal organizations since 1980 and continues to participate in bar activities in DuPage County.
Colleagues describe him as steady and practical. He prefers to work through issues fact by fact. He prepares cases for trial but also pursues early resolution when it serves a client’s interest. He handles litigation and arbitration, represents clients before state and federal courts, and serves as a resource on matters that touch government representation. He practices at Schmidt & Barbrow, PC and represents clients in civil litigation, arbitration and regulatory matters.
