Jason Domark's original ambition was to be a marine scientist. Hailing from Naperville, Illinois, Domark's career trajectory saw him trade the farm fields of the Midwest for the sunny shores of Miami.

"What brought me to Miami was definitely the marine-science interest," Domark said.

While the future commercial and fiduciary litigator was enamored with the subject matter that dominated his studies at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Domark soon found himself faced with a harsh reality concerning his skill set.

"I was always more into English and reading and writing than I was of the pure science of it all," he said. "So I switched to Marine Affairs and Policy, did part of my master's in aquaculture, but really got more into the policy side of it, and that sort of led to law school."

While Domark hasn't strayed far from the place where his legal career began, he's also managed to parlay his occupation into a means of worldwide travel. Calling himself a "Double Cane," he remained at the University of Miami for law school.

"I did pretty well my first year and so I got a summer associate position at White & Case," Domark said. "And I fell right in with my mentor who's still with me to this day, Chuck Kline, and started doing commercial litigation. And 15 years later, I'm still doing it."

Domark said his focus on fiduciary, real estate, and international litigation allows him to work within a range of areas alongside diverse clientele.

"I love it that it's different every single day," he said. "Cases are always different, the industries are different, the people are different, so it keeps it really fresh and new."

Speaking on the world of fiduciary litigation, Domark said he appreciates the ability to advise at the pre-trial stage.

"I love litigation but I also like getting to get involved early on and guide folks through their problems before maybe they even get to [trial]," he said.

The same variety that pervades Domark's practice areas can also be seen in the venues he litigates in. Reflecting on his most important cases, Domark recalled his representation of a wealthy investor from the Netherlands, who alleged a former partner had ran off with his money. The ensuing litigation took Domark and his co-counsel all around the world.

"We had to chase his partner in all sorts of jurisdictions throughout the Caribbean, South America and other places," he said. "And after years of litigation we were finally able to get a $20 million dollar judgment against him in Miami. That was a really rewarding case because it let us use all the things that we had  become really good at over the years: the fiduciary litigation, the international litigation, some of it even tied to some real estate issues, and certainly on the judgment collection side."

Domark attributes many of his abilities to the stewardship he received from Kline. Calling Kline his mentor, Domark said the attorney was one of the first people to interview him after graduating from law school.

"I think we talked the whole interview about UM football, and I walked out and I said, 'That was either the best or the worst interview I've ever had, and I'm not sure which,'" he said. "I got hired, so I guess it was a good interview."

Both Domark and Kline left White & Case to join Cozen O'Connor in 2017.

"I'm honestly a firm believer that 90 percent of your job satisfaction is who you work with," Domark said.

He added that he relishes the entrepreneurial spirit of his firm, as well as the ability to continue collaborating with Kline and other like-minded litigators.

Domark said his relationship with Kline allowed him to simultaneously lean into his natural skills as an attorney and learn from an experienced litigator.

"I think a lot of attorneys come out of law school, and they've watched whatever movies they've watched, and they think you need to be the most aggressive guy in the room to be an effective lawyer," he said, adding this approach often sees lawyers "fight over every little thing."

"One of the things I learned from Chuck is you can be a far more effective advocate if you are only fighting over the things that matter," Domark said. "I think it's a very effective way to litigate and it fits with my personality as well. And so, 15 years later we're still working hand-in-hand."

Domark has tried to parlay his own experience and serve as a guiding force for attorneys who are entering the field for the first time. After working in a mentor capacity with Cozen O'Connor's summer associate program, this year marked the first time he directed the initiative.

"I also love to do some of our recruiting [programs] especially at UM," he said. "I love getting involved with younger lawyers; somewhat selfishly, I guess it's reinvigorating. You see their passion and interest and desire coming out of law school, and it's fun to be a part of that."

Looking ahead, Domark hopes to bolster Cozen O'Connor's ranks with new clients and attorneys alike.

"We've got 30 [lawyers] in Miami and we're still looking to grow," he said. "It's fun getting to be part of an office that really wants to grow and gain prominence in the community and so … continuing to work on that is certainly another goal.

Jason Domark

Born: September 1978, Hinsdale, Illinois

Spouse: Rachel Domark

Children: Maddox, Hudson

Education: University of Miami School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2004; University of Miami, B.A., high honors, 2001

Experience: Partner, Cozen O'Connor, 2017-present; Associate, White & Case, 2004-2017

More attorney profiles: