Biographical Sketch – Mark B. Hazelbaker

Mark Hazelbaker is a Madison attorney with a diverse practice serving indiivduals, local governments and businesses.   A native of Mukwonago, Wisconsin, Mark attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison, earning degrees in Journalism, 1979 and Law in 1982.

While still in Law School, he worked as Executive Assistant to the Dane County Executive, assisting in budget and management analyses.  He served as the Executive’s liaison to the Cuban émigré community addressing the impact of the 1980 Mariel Boatlift in Dane County.

Mark served the United Council of UW Students as Legislative Director from 1980-81.  As lobbyist for UW students, he succeeded in persuading the Legislature to reduce planned cuts to the UW System by half, restoring many important programs for students.

Mark clerked at a small Madison law firm, and subsequently was hired as the Legal Counsel of the Wisconsin Counties Association 1983 to 1986.  While with the WCA, Mark led lobbying efforts to modernize county government by creating cabinet government at the County level. When controversy arose over implementation of Native American Treaty rights to off-reservation hunting and fishing, her was designated by the county officials in the affected area to represent them in the matter with the Department of Natural Resources and the Tribes.

In 1986, Mark moved to Manitowoc, Wisconsin to take a position with Manitowoc County as County Attorney and Personnel Director.  Her oversaw implementation of the sale of a county nursing home to private operators and successfully defended the sale in Court.  He managed all legal and human resource matters for the County until 1989, when he was promoted to the newly created position of Administrative Coordinator of Manitowoc County from 1986 to 1992. He continued to act as County Attorney.  There, he met his first wife, with whom he had a son, Nik, who is now 30 and employed in real estate investments.

Mark returned to Madison to enter private practice in 1992,  He has continued to advise and work with local governments, businesses and associations throughout his legal career.  His experience includes acting as lead lobbyist on five major new laws and hundreds of local government ordinance and zoning actions.  He has handled thousands of court trials and dozens of jury trials in civil and criminal cases. 

In 1994, Mark joined the Masonic fraternity as a member of Four Lakes Daylight Lodge.  He was following tradition of his family, which has several active members.  He joined Scottish Rite in 1995 and the Shrine in 2001.

He is married to Dr. Deborah Hoffman, a licensed pscychologist, who has two adult children of her own.  They live in Madison.