C. Mark Murrah, Business Attorney in Houston, Texas

In the 1920s, Chicago printers Mather & Company created a colorful, motivational series of posters that hung in businesses and factories across the United States. The posters featured inspiring messages about self-discipline, loyalty, honesty, and diligence. These posters promised workers who followed these guidelines would be promoted above their peers. As an avid collector of these posters, I conduct my life and practice in the manner of the maxims they promoted long ago.

While I am passionate about many things, what takes precedence in my personal and professional life are my family, my child, and my clients. I am blessed to have one son (Jack, 17), who is the love of my life. He is a wonderful child (aren't they all). My lovely wife and I strive to rear him to the best of our abilities to one day take his place as a man. Not every child has the same opportunities that Jack has been afforded. Unfortunately broken homes, abuse, absent fathers, and a litany of other problems plague many children today. I am ardent about not only being a father to my own son, but working with other children to be a positive influence in their lives. For many years I have coached in West U. Little League, I speak to various schools as part of the Houston Bar Association's Speakers Bureau, and I have served on various children's charities. I am also fortunate that my wife's professional career has led her to serve as the Director of Risk Management for Texas Children's Hospital.

Professionally I am devoted to being a sound counselor to businesses. An old friend and client once said I was "the voice of reason." I take pride in trying to serve my clients in that capacity. In today's hyper-regulated business world, a voice of reason can be a valuable resource. I am zealous about seeing my clients (and all businesses) thrive and grow. I enjoy representing companies that still make and do things that contribute to making the United States an industrial power, thus providing the kinds of jobs that add value to the economy. Further I truly believe that the unique genius of our country is that all of us benefit when people are left to pursue their own vision of success: from the Founding Father's vision of the "pursuit of happiness" to President Coolidge's maxim that "the business of America is business."

The responsibilities for those companies' ongoing legal and business issues-including contracting, employment, human resources, mergers, and acquisitions-have rested firmly on my shoulders.

Being a native Texan, I find it important to stay involved in both the Houston legal and business communities. As a member of the Houston Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas, I speak often to legal and business groups. I have been actively involved in various business organizations, including the Texas Association of Business Brokers and the East End Chamber of Commerce, where I served as Chairman of the Ambassador's Program for two years.

Classes & Seminars

• An Overview of Texas Home Equity Lending: The 26 Conditions of a Home Equity Loan, Required Notice, Cure and Loan Voiding, The Poison Pill, And Legislative Update, Second Annual Texas Home Equity Lending Conference, (June 1999), Houston, Texas.

• Texas Homestead Law: Laying the Groundwork, Second Annual Texas Home Equity Lending Conference, (June 1999), Houston, Texas.

• Texas Home Equity Loan Pre-Closing, Closing and Post-Closing Issues and Scenarios, Second Annual Texas Home Equity Lending Conference, (June 1999), Houston, Texas.

• Update on Subprime Credit Litigation & Other Litigation Issues: State Credit Code Issues; Debt Collection Strategies; Class Action Update; Payoff and Fax Fees; Hidden Finance Charges, The Conference on Consumer Finance Law (May 1999), Dallas, Texas.

• Corporate America on the Phone: Under- or Over-Regulated, American Teleservices Association: (May 2002), San Antonio, Texas.

• Construction Contract Drafting, Construction Defect and Insurance Coverage Seminar, Lorman Education Services (May 2004), Houston, Texas.

• Tenant Improvement Agreements/Work Orders, Advanced Real Estate Drafting Course, Texas Bar Association CLE. (March 2011), Houston, Texas.

• “New Year’s Resolutions for Entrepreneurs,” Small Business Today Magazine, January 2015.

Professional Associations

• Houston Bar Association

• State Bar of Texas

• Texas Association of Business Brokers

• East End Chamber of Commerce

• East End Chamber of Commerce, Chairman, Ambassador’s Program