Mark Egan McGuinness II
Founding Attorney
Mark Egan McGuinness II founded Yes Legal of San Diego in 2022 to provide clients with candid legal advice, independent professional judgment, and practical options for moving difficult matters forward.
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Mark’s experience spans a broad range of civil and criminal matters. He has worked on serious state and federal criminal cases, including federal drug and firearms matters; numerous restraining-order proceedings; conservatorships; unlawful-detainer matters; civil cases for both plaintiffs and defendants; business and contract disputes; employment matters; insurance-related litigation; and other contested proceedings.
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His work has included early case assessment, legal research and strategy, pleadings, discovery, negotiations, hearings, litigation, settlement, and limited-scope representation. He has represented or assisted clients at different stages of a matter, from identifying the underlying legal problem through developing a strategy, preparing documents, appearing in contested proceedings, and working toward resolution.
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That breadth allows Mark to evaluate legal problems from multiple perspectives. Experience on both the plaintiff and defense sides helps him anticipate competing arguments, identify issues that may not be apparent at the outset, and distinguish between positions that are legally available and strategies that are practically worthwhile.
Mark also assists businesses and individuals with contract drafting and review, demand letters, settlement negotiations, employment issues, developing disputes, ongoing legal counseling, and defined legal assessments. His practice is structured to allow clients to obtain meaningful legal analysis and assistance without automatically committing to full-service representation at every stage.
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Background and Legal Training
Before admission to the California Bar, Mark developed practical legal experience through work as a legal assistant, teaching assistant, intern, and certified law student.
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While working under California’s Practical Training of Law Students program with Veterans Village of San Diego, he identified legal issues affecting clients, worked under the supervision of three licensed attorneys, and appeared on the record in court in 2015.
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During law school, Mark served as a law review editor, earned top grades in multiple courses, and led lectures and review sessions for other students. His academic background also includes graduate study in business, marketing, psychology, human behavior, political science, and sociology.
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This combination of legal training, business education, behavioral study, and practical experience informs his approach to negotiation, client counseling, litigation strategy, and dispute resolution.
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Education
Juris Doctor
Master of Business Administration, with a focus in marketing
Master of Arts in Human Behavioral Psychology
Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Sociology
Additional undergraduate study focused on race and gender
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Admissions
State Bar of California
United States District Court for the Southern District of California
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Approach to Representation
Mark believes that a lawyer’s responsibility is not simply to confirm the client’s preferred answer or recommend the most aggressive option available.
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It is to examine the facts, identify what the law actually supports, explain the risks and available choices, and help the client make a rational decision.
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Clients should understand what their matter is likely to require, what may be accomplished, what may not be worth pursuing, and what the next step will cost before committing to a larger engagement.
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The client controls the objective. Yes Legal provides the legal judgment, strategy, drafting, negotiation, and advocacy needed to pursue it.
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Candid legal advice. Clear options. A practical plan.
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Contact Mark
Contact Yes Legal to provide a brief description of the matter, identify any known deadline, and determine whether an introductory discussion, Legal Assessment, or other defined engagement may be appropriate.
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