About
Mark Gilfix is an award-winning estate planner and author who has positively impacted thousands of families and individuals as an estate planning and legal advisor. With his unique background as an attorney, business strategist and artist, Mark has the exceptional ability to truly connect, communicate, and optimize holistic plans with his clients.
He is a sought-after legal speaker, having presented to thousands in-person in seminars and at legal conferences, including to audiences at the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, conferences for the Morgan Center, the Autism Society, and many others.
His legal educational talks have reached hundreds of thousands on TV, including KTVU Fox 2 and NBC Bay Area, and online.
He currently practices in the areas of Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Special Needs Planning. A Palo Alto native, Mark graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Management Science and Engineering. He later attended Loyola Law School’s evening program, working full-time while earning his law degree. There, he was chosen as his class commencement speaker (the subject of his talk: Generosity) and graduated in the top 5 of his class as a member of the Order of the Coif.
He is the co-author of the Special Needs Trust Creation and Management Guide and Facing the Reality of Long Term Care. He has also authored and co-authored multiple articles in legal journals, including Trusts and Estates Magazine, The Elder Law Report, and others.
Mark and his wife, Vera are both cancer survivors. Their incredible story was featured in the New York Times. This fuels his passion for health, cancer awareness and prevention, and helping others live vibrant, healthy lives. You can learn more about his cancer journey, and some of the lessons he learned here. Happily, they are both totally healthy now!
Before practicing law, Mark was a management consultant at the Monitor Group (founded by celebrated Harvard Business School author Michael Porter), participating in and leading numerous strategy engagements with Fortune 500 corporations and the Department of Defense.
He also enjoyed a career as a professional actor and writer, appearing on several network TV shows, including CSI: NY, 90210, and The Young and the Restless, in numerous independent films and national commercials for many of the world’s top brands, including Apple (he helped introduce Siri to the world), Budweiser, and Xbox.
Active in his community, Mark currently serves on the board of directors of the Pacific Autism Center for Education, and has previously served on the associate board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula and in the Young Leadership Cabinet of the Jewish Federation.
He is an avid fan of the San Francisco Giants, 49ers, and all Stanford sports. Additionally, he is a passionate surfer and stand-up paddle-boarder, embodying his commitment to a healthy and active lifestyle.
Selected Press and Media
Mark Gilfix on KABC Radio Los Angeles. Listen here for more on Mark's talk about Elder Abuse and what families can do to detect and fight it.
Mark Gilfix's Aging at Home: How technology and AI can help our clients was published in the July 2018 issue of Trusts & Estates Magazine (PDF).
Interview: Common Elder Law Issues When Helping Aging Parents
Mark Gilfix co-authored the new book, Facing the Reality of Long Term Care, with his father, Michael Gilfix, lending his expertise on multi-generational planning and technological advances in the field of aging. They have also published an article on the subject of multi-generational planning in the prestigious “Trust and Estates Magazine (PDF).”
Mark appearing on the Lomah podcast, where he discussed key terms and concepts around Special Needs Planning.
T&E Honors 2018 Distinguished Authors
Mark Gilfix's Technology Innovation and Long-Term Care 2017 Updates was published in the July / August 2017 issue of The Elder Law Report.
See Mark Gilfix explain how Special Needs Trusts are set up, and how they operate, in the Pacific Autism Center-sponsored “Porchlight” Video Series