Mark H. Bennett
Partner; Corporate and Transactional Practice Group Leader
Email: mhbennett@perridunn.com
Direct: 405-768-4815
Location: Oklahoma City
Mark joined Perri Dunn in August 2021 and leads the transaction practice group.
Mark’s practice includes general corporate and business matters and securities regulation and transactions, including start-ups, mergers and acquisitions, private placements, and real estate acquisitions and dispositions. He has represented public companies in corporate governance and securities law compliance matters, along with general business development issues. Mark has represented issuers and underwriters in registered securities offerings and private offerings, as well as venture capital clients in private placements. He assists clients in the operation, formation, sale and acquisition of corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and other entities.
Mark’s tax, probate, and estate planning practice includes formation of revocable and irrevocable trusts, charitable gift planning, preparation of wills, and succession planning for family-owned businesses. He also represents clients in tax controversy matters before the Oklahoma Tax Commission and the Internal Revenue Service.
Serving as outside general counsel for small to mid-size companies, Mark negotiates service agreements, employment contracts, leases and other business contracts; develops compensation programs and risk management policies; represents the client in mergers, acquisitions, and real estate transactions; and provides oversight of business litigation.
Prior to joining Perri Dunn, Mark served as General Counsel of Crescent Companies, LLC, a diversified oil and gas industry services company, from 2015 until it was acquired in 2017. Before joining Crescent Companies, Mark was a partner in the Oklahoma City office of Conner & Winters, LLP, with over 22 years’ experience with the firm.
Mark has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Oklahoma City University School of Law, teaching courses on agency and partnership law and corporations law. He is a frequent speaker at professional seminars on the subjects of entity formation, business transactions, and estate planning.
- Business Transactions and Finance
- Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestures
- Commercial Finance
- Corporate and Securities
- Real Estate – Acquisition, Sales, Exchanges, and Development
- Trust and Estate Planning
- Family Office Services
- Southern Methodist University (LL.M. (Taxation), 1991)
- Oklahoma City University School of Law (J.D., 1990)
- DePauw University (B.A. (Economics), 1987)
- Oklahoma, 1990
- S. Tax Court
- S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
- S. Court of Appeals (10th Circuit)
- Oklahoma Bar Association
- Oklahoma County Bar Association
- Representation of founders in formation of, and private placement raising capital for, oil and gas exploration company.
- Representation of oil and gas service company in procurement of water rights and pipeline easements.
- Representation of public and private companies in the negotiation and structure of equity compensation incentive plans, including incentive stock options plans, non-qualified stock option plans, restricted stock plans, and other equity compensation arrangements.
- Representation of diversified company in the sale of the business using an Up-C structure.
- Successfully represented second generation in the acquisition of family business from first generation.
- Successfully represented managing family member in acquisition of family business ownership from extended family.
- Preparation of master service agreements for companies in oil and gas, staffing, and other industries.
- Representation of independent contractors in connection with master service agreements and other vendor agreements.
- Representation of landowners in negotiation of windfarm easements.
- Representation of oil and gas exploration companies in connection with negotiation of joint operating agreements.
- Representation of corporations in reverse triangular mergers.
- Representation of purchaser of saltwater disposal wells.
- Representation of landowners in negotiating surface use agreements, oil and gas pipeline easements, and utility easements.
- Representation of founders in preparation and negotiation of company operating agreements.
- Representation of founders in the formation of, and private placement raising capital for, entertainment venue.
- Representation of public company in connection with acquisition of hazardous waste facility.
- Representation of private company in connection with acquisition of multistate real estate assets.
- Representation of private and public companies in connection with redemption of common and preferred stock.
- Representation public company in connection with preparation of Form S-8 registration statements for secondary sales and stock option plans.
- Representation of public company in the negotiation of senior secured notes.
- Representation of public companies in the preparation of 1934 Act reporting requirements, including Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, Form 8-K, and Forms 3, 4, and 5.
- Preparation of requests for confidential treatment under the Freedom of Information Act.
- Preparation of requests for confidential information under the Freedom of Information Act.
- Representation of public company in re-organization of multiply entities located in numerous states.
- Representation of owners in the sale of a SaaS software development company to private equity purchaser.
- Representation of retail distributor in sale of business assets.
- Representation of franchisee in disputes with franchisor.
- Representation of franchise in the acquisition of franchise and negotiation of franchise agreement.
- Representation of landowner in successful defense of adverse possession and prescriptive easement claim.
- Representation of landowner in success establishment of adverse possession claim.
- Representation of buyer in acquisition of restaurant operations and related real property.
- Representation of seller in Section 1031 tax-deferred real estate exchange.
- Representation in the enforcement of purchase agreement on the basis of nonconforming merchandise.
- Representation of private companies in the preparation of private placement memorandum for the sale of unregistered securities pursuant to Rule 504, 505, and 506.
- Defense of securities broker in enforcement action by the Oklahoma Department of Securities.
- Representation of taxpayers in application for waivers of penalty and interest to the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
- Representation of public and private companies in the preparation and negotiation of executive compensation arrangement and employment contracts.
- Representation of staffing companies in connection with defense and settlement of Fair Labor Standards Act wage and hour claims litigation.
- Defense of oil and gas service company against OSHA audit and related citations.
- Defense of manufacturing company against OSHA audit and related citations.
- Representation of mineral owner in enforcement of rights with respect to confidential geological information.
- Assist in the representation of oil and gas service company in defense of wrongful death actions arising out of oilfield accidents.
- Representation of professional entities, manufacturing companies, and distributorships in the enforcement of nondisclosure agreements, nonsolicitation agreements, and noncompete agreements.
- Representation of high net-worth individual creating succession plan for diverse family business interests.
- Representation of married couple in creation of charitable remainder trusts for tax and estate planning purposes.
- Representation of individuals in the creation of spousal lifetime access trusts (SLAT).
- Representation of family-owned entity in the consolidation of family ownership.
- Representation of trustees in the administration and distribution of trust assets.
- Representation of trustees defending provisions of contested trust.
- Representation of individuals in negotiation of premarital agreements.
- Representation of families in the formation of family private foundations.
- Representation of personal representatives in probate action contested by disinherited heirs.
- Representation of high-net worth individual in the formation of family limited liability companies for estate planning purposes.
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™
• Oklahoma City University School of Law Adjunct Professor (Corporations; Agency and Unincorporated Business Associations)
• Temple B’nai Israel
• President, 2019 – 2021
• Member, Board of Trustees, 2010 – Current
• Boy Scouts of America
• Chairman, Baden Powell District Committee of Last Frontier Council (2013-2015)
• Member, Council Committee, Last Frontier Council of Boy Scouts of America (2011-2015)
• Chairman, Casady School Booster Club (2016-2018)
- “Trusts and Taxes from A to Z,” National Business Institute, 2021
- State and Federal Rules Update
- “Trusts from A to Z,” National Business Institute, 2020
- Tax Reduction with Trusts
- Marial / Disclaimer Trusts Post – ATRA
- Charitable Trusts
- “Probate and Trust Litigation,” National Business Institute, 2019
- Handling Claims Against Fiduciaries
- Settlement Tips
- “Estate Planning from A to Z,” National Business Institute, 2018
- Trust 101
- Who is the Fiduciary?
- “Business Contracts A to Z,” National Business Institute, 2013
- “Demystifying Asset Protection Vehicles,” National Business Institute, 2008
- “Tax Return Preparer Penalties and Standards – New Section 6694,” Oklahoma City Estate Planning Counsel, 2008
- “LLC Trends and Developments,” National Business Institute, 2007
- “Limited Liability Company Update in Oklahoma,” National Business Institute, 2006, 2005
- “Business and Estate Planning with Limited Liability Entities,” National Business Institute, 2005
- “Understanding & Drafting Trusts in Oklahoma,” Sterling Education Services, 2004
- “Mergers and Acquisitions in Oklahoma: The Art of Doing Deals,” National Business Institute, 2002
- “Choice of Business Entity in Oklahoma: How to Do it Right,” National Business Institute, 2003, 2000, 1998
- “Key Issues in Estate Planning and Probate,” National Business Institute, 2000
- “How to Protect Assets During Life and Avoid Estate Tax at Death in Oklahoma,” National Business Institute, 1999
- “Family Limited Partnerships in Estate Planning,” National Business Institute, 1999
