Mark Iola

Among his many legal successes, Mr. Iola served as principal negotiator for asbestos cancer victims during talks between stakeholders, which led to changes to the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code relating to civil claims involving exposure to asbestos and resulting illnesses. From 2000 through 2007, he fought for asbestos mesothelioma victims during the U.S. congressional debate of The FAIR Act. His participation helped lead to the defeat of this proposed legislation, which would have eliminated the rights of asbestos victims to sue responsible parties in U.S. courts. Away from his law practice, Mr. Iola has worked to provide educational opportunities to disadvantaged young people, serving as a Big Brother and founding Board President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma, which began as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Green Country (Tulsa) and expanded to cover the entire state. He continues to serve as a principal funder of the organization and has established the Mark H. Iola Scholarship to help little Brothers and Sisters pursue their educational goals when they graduate from the program. The scholarship program is one of the largest of its kind in the United States. He is also serves on the Buddy Program Board in Aspen, CO. A former high school and college debater, Mr. Iola was executive producer of “Resolved,” a feature-length documentary film on high school debate that won the Audience Award at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival and aired on HBO in Jun 2008. Mr. Iola is also active in DFW Pug Rescue. George Washington University (B.A., 1979); University of Oklahoma (J.D., 1982)