The National Law Journal - Monday, June 12, 2002
The Weekly Newspaper for the Legal Profession
The 100 most influential lawyers.

The NLJ offers its triennial honor roll of most powerful practitioners; 40% are new

Profiles in power

Every three years, the NLJ sifts through the legal profession and anoints the 100 most powerful and influential lawyers in America.

The mere holding of a position of power is not enough to make the NLJ list, according to the rules. One must use that power wisely, or not.  Thus Attorney General Janet Reno made this year's list, as did Microsoft's nemesis, Asst. Attorney General Joel Klein. The white House counsel and the solicitor general did not.

Mark Hiepler - 38, Oxnard, Calif.'s Hiepler & Hiepler.

FAMILY TRAGEDY led this litigator to a career as an innovative foe of insurance companies and HMO's; won the second-largest verdict ever- $89.3 million against Health Net - after his sister was denied coverage for a bone marrow transplant to treat her breast cancer; considered a pioneer and role model in insurance and managed care litigation; often wins the first verdicts or settlements advancing novel theories to get around caps or restrictions on litigation or recovery; represents physicians in negotiations with HMOs; a member of the State of California Managed Health Care Improvement Task Force.