Service Areas
- Businesses
- Climate Change
- Real Estate
- Economic Development Incentives
- Environmental
- Governments + Nonprofits
- Climate Change
- Real Estate
- Economic Development
- Environmental
Education
- Wayne State University Law School, J.D.
- Michigan State University, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Mark J. Bennett has combined his dual training in real estate and environmental law into a practice focused on advising clients in the acquisition and development of commercial real estate, as well as guiding companies in conducting environmental due diligence in real estate transactions. He also leads the firm’s interdisciplinary climate change initiative, managing a broad array of issues in this emerging area of law including carbon finance, green building and sustainable development, and renewable energy.
Mark also counsels clients on strategies to obtain environmental-related economic development incentives, including Brownfield designations. He has extensive experience in negotiating contractual agreements related to LEED ® certification for building owners, investors, architects and construction professionals. In addition, he routinely works with clients to secure venture capital financing and has also assisted several companies with merger and acquisitions transactions and corporate formation.
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association, Environment, Energy and Resources Section; Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section; State and Local Government Law Section
- State Bar of Michigan, Real Property Law Section; Environmental Law Section
- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Honors + Awards
- Michigan State University, with honors
- Information Industry Association, Chairman's Award; Product Achievement Award
Publications
"Miller Canfield's Mark J. Bennett Addresses Climate Change, Sustainable Property Transactions Conference," LexisNexis, December 3, 2008
"Environmental Due Diligence," The Bureau of National Affiars, Inc. (BNA), November 2008
"Climate change law begins to really heat up," Detroit Legal News, November 13, 2008
"Sustainability Due Diligence: LEED® as the Evolving National Standard," The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (BNA), July 2008
"ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES - Green is good," Detroit Free Press, May 2008(interview)
"Going Green to Save Some Green," Detroiter, May 2008
Podcast, "Current Critical Issues in Environmental Law: Green Buildings and Sustainable Development," May 2008
"Current Critical Issues in Environmental Law: Green Buildings and Sustainable Development," LexisNexis, May 2008
Quote: "CoStar Study Finds LEED, Energy Star Bldgs. Outperform Peers," CoStar Group News, March 26, 2008
"Green Building Takes the LEED®," Hot Points, Spring 2008
Quote: "Bush Energy Bill Taps GSA to 'Green' the Building Industry," CoStar Group News (with permission), March 20, 2008
"Emerging Field of Climate Change Law Requires Improved Due Diligence," National Real Estate Investor, March 6, 2008
"Climate change has far-reaching impact - How will YOU be affected?" Hot Points, Winter 2007
"Commentary: Climate change, energy consumption have impact on buildings - and banks," Michigan Lawyers Weekly, February 25, 2008
"Climate change and the carbon-constrained economy, Midwest In-House, January 2008
"The Evolution of Climate Change Due Diligence Standards," 231 BNA Environmental Due Diligence Guide 1911, October 18, 2007
"On the Cutting Edge: An Insider's Perspective - Climate Change Due Diligence Developing, Creating New Opportunities," 16 BNA EDDG 7, BNA's Environmental Due Diligence Guide, July 2007
"Electromagnetic Fields Tilt 'Reasonableness' Standard in Property Valuation: Can New Study Affect Outcome of Pending California Litigations?" 6 REEL, BNA 20, December 1995
"Financial Institutions Adopting Policies to Tackle Environmental Risk, Survey Shows," 8 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 201 and 61 Banking Rep., BNA 194, August 1993
"Redefining Environmental Due Diligence," 58 Banking Rep., BNA 692, April 1992
"The Rise of the Environmental Transaction Screen," 6 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 735, November 1991 (co-authored)
"Home Sweet Home - Or Is It? Environmental Due Diligence in a Residential Setting," 5 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 1613, May 1991
"Lenders: Environmental Police Force of the 1990s," 4 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 1131, May 1990
"Technology-Based Standards for Environmental Due Diligence," 4 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 331, August 1989
"Environmental Due Diligence: An Evolving National Standard," 3 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 1262, March 1989
"Government Records: An Essential Element of Environmental Due Diligence," 3 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 920, December 1988 (co-authored)
"Environmental Risk: Are Your Loans Marketable?" 3 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 618, October 1988 (co-authored)
"Minimizing Environmental Liability: Due Diligence Techniquest for Purchaser/Lender," 51 Banking Rep., BNA 489, September 1988 (co-authored)
"Due Diligence Techniques for the Innocent Purchase/Lender," 3 Toxics L. Rep., BNA 434, August 1988 (co-authored)
Speeches
Frequent lecturer on environmental and real estate topics including:
Moderator, "Homeward Bound 2008-2009: Green Building and Sustainable Development: The New Competitive Advantage," State Bar of Michigan, Real Property Law Section, February 5, 2009
"Sustainability Due Diligence: A Review of Evolving Industry and Regulatory Trends and Emerging Standards," Environmental Bankers Associatiion, Charlotte, NC, January 18-20, 2009 (co-presenter R. Plewa, S. Beckerman, M.Arnold, Comerica)
"Sustainability Trends and Policies in the Financial Services Industry," Environmental Bankers Association, Charlotte, NC, January 18-20, 2009
Presenter, "Monetizing Carbon Finance Assets in a Real Estate Transaction," Sustainable Property Transactions: Deal Making & Redevelopments of Contaminated Sites, November 12-14, 2008, RTM Communications
"Overview of Renewable Legislation in Michigan," USGBC Detroit Regional Chapter, September 25, 2008
Interview, "DOE Pledges $8B To Guarantee Clean Coal Financing," Law360, New York, September 24, 2008
Presenter, "Sustainability," U.S. Green Building Council, Detroit Regional Chapter, September 2008
Panelist, "Green Leases," Green Building Finance & Investment Forum, New York, NY, September 2008
Podcast on "Monetizing Carbon Finance Assets in a Real Estate Transaction," LexisNexis Interview, June 2008
Podcast on "Green Building & Finance (with permission)," Real Estate and Environmental Law & Climate Change Web Centers, March 2008
"Green Building, Finance & Investment Forum," San Francisco, California, February 2008 (Chairman)
"Financial Incentives for Businesses in Michigan and Canada," International Business Briefing at Automation Alley, September 12, 2007
Seminars + Events
- Homeward Bound 2008-2009: Green Building and Sustainable Development: The New Competitive Advantage
- Sustainability Trends and Policies in the Financial Services Industry
- Sustainable Property Transactions