Cedar Rapids lawyer finds own road from education to his career

Riding his motorcycle with buddies on warm days and partying into the night were bigger priorities for Mark Brown than going to high school class and walking down the aisle in a cap and gown.

“I didn't drop out,” Brown, 46, said with a serious look, and then he grinned. “I went all the way through, but I just didn't have the grades or credits to graduate. I cannot in my life remember having homework. My kids have it every night. ... I decided to go back the next year, but I think that only lasted two weeks, and I knew it wasn't going to work.”

Brown, a Cedar Rapids defense attorney for 18 years, didn't choose the easiest path. Instead of graduating with his Jefferson High Class of 1982, he completed his high school education with a GED, which led him to college and eventually law school. He's now a successful and well-respected lawyer in the Corridor.

Brown, who ironically married a schoolteacher, talks about his educational struggles because it might prevent a lot of heartache for students at a similar crossroads.

“I always say if it takes a couple of years to figure out what the kids want to do, there's no reason for the parents to panic,” Brown said. “I wouldn't recommend it, but young adults make mistakes. Sometimes, they have to do things differently.”

Jim Dostal, a government teacher at Cedar Rapids

Jefferson, invites Brown to

talk to classes every year about his alternative path to becoming a lawyer.

Brown is honest about what he did and always warns the students that if he did the same thing today, it would be more difficult because of changes in the education system and society.

“As an instructor, I am always interested in communicating to my students other people's stories of themselves,” Dostal said. “The why is as interesting as the what when discussing how come people did this or that ... what were the circumstances for their decision-making.”

Brown said school wasn't necessarily difficult for him, he just didn't show up for classes. He decided to take the GED after a Kirkwood Community College instructor suggested it. He then enrolled at Kirkwood, graduated with a two-year degree and then completed his bachelor's degree at Mount Mercy College.

His motivation to continue his education was a minimum-wage job working third shift at a convenience store.

“College was a breath of fresh air for me. When others were burned out from studying, I was fresh, because I had never done anything in the past,” he said.

Brown became interested in law after meeting criminal lawyer Bob Fassler, who encouraged him and told him not to worry about what he did in high school. Fassler gave Brown a job in his law office while Brown was in college.

“(Fassler) had a desire to help people, and I guess, that was kind of addictive. It was really a new experience for me, helping others,” Brown said.

Today, Brown is known for taking the tougher cases, like James Bentley, who was convicted of sexually abusing 10-year-old Jetseta Gage, who was killed five years ago by James' brother Roger Bentley.

Brown also was co-counsel for Jonathan Memmer, who was convicted in Johnson County in 2001 for murdering two young women. Memmer is serving two life sentences.

Fassler, a former Linn County attorney who started his practice in 1954, said he was impressed with Brown's seriousness and his desire to do criminal defense work.

“It was in Mark's nature,” Fassler said. “He was always working for the poor and downtrodden defendants. He was very dedicated and thorough.”

Brown still believes taking the time to figure out what he wanted was the right thing to do for him.

“It has made me a better lawyer, and I'm positive it has made me a better trial lawyer,” he said.