Marc Cefalu
Senior Trial Attorney
Marc is a California native who grew up in the small Central Coast fishing town of Morro Bay. He didn’t grow up in a boardroom or behind a desk – he grew up working on the ocean as the son of a commercial fisherman, spending much of his time growing up at sea, sometimes as far as 1,200 miles offshore and for as long as 60 days. It was tough, dangerous work where the conditions could turn fast and where Marc learned early that hard work, grit, and looking out for the people beside you wasn’t optional; it was mandatory. He also saw firsthand the toll the industry could take, having relatives lost at sea and friends who suffered serious injuries, or worse. He understands that he is not alone in this and many people, from all walks of life, have been subjected to tragedies that they never envisioned.
Those years shaped who Marc is today.
Raised by a hardworking immigrant father who constantly reminded him of the importance of education, Marc carried those lessons with him throughout his academic and professional career. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara for his undergraduate studies before earning his law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Marc’s commercial fishing background eventually led him to a maritime law firm in San Francisco, where he spent almost 25 years representing companies, insurance carriers, and business owners in serious personal injury and property damage cases.
That means Marc knows exactly how insurance companies think. He knows the playbook, the pressure points, and the tactics used to avoid paying injured people what they deserve – because he spent decades on the other side of the table.
Today, Marc represents individuals and families, bringing that experience to work for regular people instead of corporations. He prepares every case like it may go to trial and fights to make sure his clients are treated fairly and taken seriously. Clients appreciate that Marc is straightforward, accessible, and willing to put in the hard work needed to get results.
When he’s away from the office, Marc enjoys playing golf, cheering on his teenage daughters in their activities, and trying to improve his gardening skills, something he’ll admit is still a work in progress.
Honors and Awards
- Northern California SuperLawyers, 2013-2015; 2019-2026
Bar Admissions
- California, 1999
- All State Courts within California
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California
Education
- Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California
- J.D., 1999
- Articles Editor, Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review
- Dean’s List
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- B.A., Law and Society, 1996
Past Employment Positions
- Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin & Hansen, LLP (1999 -2025)
- Haight Brown & Bonesteel (2025-2026)
- Venardi Zurada LLP (2026-present)
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Wrongful Death
- Landlord-Tenant
- Medical Malpractice
- Employment
- Maritime Personal Injury
- Discrimination
Mark Venardi’s Results
Settlement
Multi-Million Dollar
Discrimination Claims
Martin Zurada and Mark Venardi led a team that obtained a multi-million recovery for a group of deserving clients. We are not afraid to turn down significant initial offers which are insufficient to compensate our clients and change defendant’s behavior. We roll up our sleeves, put on the gloves, and fight it out with the defense. If getting the best possible result means holding on until trial to resolve the case, or fighting the case at trial, we will do whatever it takes. We put our clients in the best possible position to obtain a maximum result.
Partner
Partner
Asentamientos
Acuerdo de varios millones de dólares
Despido Injustificado
Martin Zurada y Mark Venardi lideraron un equipo que obtuvo una recuperación de varios millones de dólares para un grupo de clientes merecedores. No tememos rechazar ofertas iniciales significativas que sean insuficientes para compensar a nuestros clientes y cambiar el comportamiento del demandado. Arremangamos nuestras camisas, nos ponemos los guantes y luchamos contra la defensa. Si obtener el mejor resultado posible significa esperar hasta el juicio para resolver el caso, o pelearlo en el juicio, haremos lo que sea necesario. Ponemos a nuestros clientes en la mejor posición posible para obtener un resultado máximo.
Acuerdo
$28 Millones
Lesiones Personales
El monto exacto del acuerdo es confidencial, pero superó los $28 millones. Acuerdo confidencial contra una organización de mantenimiento de la salud por no supervisar a un cirujano que realizó procedimientos inapropiados en pacientes de urología femenina, causando lesiones significativas y permanentes, incluyendo incontinencia crónica. Las reclamaciones involucraron a más de 80 pacientes y reflejaron una situación de responsabilidad agravada, ya que la organización de salud estaba al tanto del uso recreativo de drogas del cirujano, pero no lo supervisó y ocultó su conducta, formación y experiencia.
Settlement
Settlement in excess of $28 Million
Medical Malpractice
Exact settlement amount is confidential but exceeded $28 million. Confidential settlement against a health maintenance organization for failing to supervise a surgeon who performed inappropriate procedures on female urology patients causing significant, permanent injuries Including chronic incontinence. Claims involved more than 80 patients and reflected an aggravated liability situation since the health care organization was familiar with the surgeon’s recreational drug use but failed to monitor and concealed his conduct, training and experience.
*Obtained prior to joining Venardi Zurada.
Of Counsel
Settlement
$7.125 Million
Boat Accidents
Our client was an 80 year-old passenger in a tender vessel. The vessel rose quickly on a wave and fell quickly causing our client to suffer a spine fracture that required a two-level fusion surgery.
Partner
Client Reviews
"They helped me out when I got into an accident"
VZ are the best in the bay! They helped me out when I got into an accident, I can’t say anything bad about them.
Robert-Christopher G.
"Felt comfortable around the people here"
Friendly and clean environment. Felt comfortable around the people here.
Katarina B.
"They were very understanding"
I really appreciated Venardi Zurada LLP, they were great help and were very understanding of my predicament. Communication was always available and consistent and amicable. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone who has issues at work or otherwise and is seeking legal action or justice for any wrongdoing.
Ava B.
"Call Venardi Zurada for any of your PI needs"
The VZ team are such a great help. Call Venardi Zurada for any of your PI needs they are the best!
Nohra R.
"Overall Great Firm"
Everyone is professional, overall great firm!
Fabian P.
We Take Care Of Our Clients
Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. We take pride in providing exceptional service, personalized attention, and unwavering support throughout each case. The testimonials from our clients reflect their satisfaction with our commitment to their well-being, highlighting the care, expertise, and dedication we bring to every case. We’re honored to have earned the trust and appreciation of those we’ve had the privilege to serve.