Mark J. Ihnat is a founding partner of The Atlantic Coast Law Firm. Licensed in North Carolina, Mark brings a diverse background in legal and business matters to the firm. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Mark’s litigation and trial experience is leveraged daily inside and outside of the courtroom, as he has represented a wide range of clients on an equally broad cross section of matters involving questions of both civil and criminal liability throughout his career.
Mark also has a background in business and has worked extensively with companies throughout the country negotiating contracts, non-disclosure agreements, and non-compete agreements as well as other transactional matters. Mark currently focuses the majority of his practice on litigation and estate planning. His client-focused vision for our firm’s estate planning group is helping to establish a fresh approach to a traditionally difficult subject matter.
After graduating from New Hanover High School, Mark attended and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Political Science and holds his Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University. Mark lives in Wilmington with his wife, Sarah, and their three children, where they are actively involved in our community and their church. The son of a career Coast Guard officer, Mark is passionate about all things involving salt water.
Professional Organizations and Volunteer Work
- New Hanover County Teen Court, Volunteer Judge
- Parks Conservancy of New Hanover County, Inc. – Vice President, Board Of Directors
- Member, North Carolina State Bar Association
- Member, New Hanover County Bar Association
- Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law Section
- Young Lawyers Division, NC Bar
- North Carolina Super Lawyers – Rising Star of 2019
- Legal Aid of North Carolina-Lawyers on the Line Volunteer Program (2015-present)
- NC Forum of Estate Planning Attorneys
Education
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,B.A.
- Chairman, Undergraduate Honor Court
- North Carolina Central University, J.D.
- Trial Advocacy Award
