Mark E. Aldrich
Mark Aldrich is a principal of Aldrich & Bonnefin, PLC*, specializing in bank regulatory issues and corporate and securities matters. Mr. Aldrich actively advises California banking institutions, their boards of directors and audit committees. Mr. Aldrich is part of the firm’s Corporate Practice Group, specializing in corporate and commercial lending matters, and is currently Interim Practice Group Manager of the firm’s Consumer Practice Group. Mr. Aldrich has handled defense of regulatory enforcement actions, securities offerings, confidential internal investigations, as well as other bank regulatory matters. He is also the Chairman and Founder of the firm.
Mr. Aldrich is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and the University of Southern California Law Center. From 1976 until 1980, he was employed in the legal department of Security Pacific National Bank. Since 1980, he has been in private practice, including the formation and continuous representation of members of the Bankers’ Compliance Group®, a group consisting of approximately 90 California financial institutions sharing the cost of legal and compliance services.
Mr. Aldrich has been a frequent speaker for Bankers’ Compliance Group®, the California Bankers Association, the Western Bankers Association and other financial institution organizations. Mr. Aldrich speaks on a variety of topics, including commercial lending, corporate governance and bank director and management issues. Mr. Aldrich was the Course Instructor for the California Bankers’ Association (CBA) Director Certification Program for over 14 years and was a member of the CBA Corporate Governance Task force. Mr. Aldrich was also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, where he taught classes on the Law of Banking and Financial Institutions for several years. In 2019, Mr. Aldrich co-authored the summary of California Financial Institution Regulation for the online Practical Law publication of Thomson Reuters.
Mr. Aldrich was named a 2025 AV Preeminent Attorney with the highest possible rating from The American Registry through Martindale-Hubbell in both legal ability and ethical standards. In 2014, Mr. Aldrich was awarded the prestigious Robert Frandzel Award by the California Bankers Association for “superior and noteworthy legal assistance by an outside counsel to the California banking industry.” Currently Mr. Aldrich is a member of the Legal Affairs Committee for the California Bankers Association. In 2007, 2010, 2013 and again for 2017, Mr. Aldrich was voted a “Super Lawyer” in the banking and finance category by a general survey which was conducted and published by the Law & Politics and the Los Angeles Magazine.
Mr. Aldrich served on the Financial Institutions Committee of the State Bar of California from 1993 to 1998, was Secretary from 1994-1995 and chaired that Committee in 1997-1998.
Mr. Aldrich is a board member and was formerly Chairman of the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano, California, a horseback-riding facility for the disabled. In 2011, he was given the Mark E. Aldrich Board Leadership Award by the Shea Center, an award that was named in his honor. In 2015, Mr. Aldrich and his firm, Aldrich & Bonnefin, were given the Michael Lewis Friends of the Disabled Award for their ongoing support of the Shea Center. In the past, he has also been a board member and Vice Chairman of Development of the Pacific Chorale in Orange County, California, as well as a vocalist performing in the tenor section of that organization.
Year Joined Firm
- 1985
Areas of Practice
- 30% Corporate and Securities
- 60% Banking
- 10% Commercial Finance
Bar Admissions
- California, 1979
- U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1979
Education
- University of Southern California Law Center, Los Angeles, California
- J.D. - 1979
- Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
- B.A. (cum laude) - 1975
- Honors: Dean's List
- Major: Economics
- University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana - 1971
Representative Clients
- Bankers Healthcare Group
- Mission National Bank
- Mizrahi Tefahot Bank
- Fremont Bank
- Bankers’ Compliance Group
Classes/Seminars
- Directors Certification Program - Course Instructor, California Bankers Association, 2003 – 2017
- Annual Management and Directors Seminar, Bankers' Compliance Group, 1985 - Present
Honors and Awards
- The American Registry through Martindale-Hubbell - AV Preeminent Attorney Rating, 2025
- Top Southern California Lawyer - Los Angeles Magazine, 2007, 2010 and 2013
- Shea Center Board's Mark E. Aldrich Leadership Award, 2011
Professional Associations and Memberships
- California State Bar Association, Member, Financial Institutions Committee, 1993 - 1998
- California State Bar Association, Secretary, Financial Institutions Committee, 1994 - 1995
- California State Bar Association, Chaired, Financial Institutions Committee, 1997 - 1998
- Pacific Chorale of Orange County, California, Past Board Member and Development Committee Chair, 2005 - 2008
- California Bankers Association, Member, Corporate Governance Committee, 2002 - 2005
- California Bankers Association, Member, Legal Affairs Committee, 2014 - Present
Past Employment Positions
- Security Pacific National Bank, Paralegal (Later Attorney), 1976 - 1980
- Private Law Practice, Attorney, 1980 - 1985
Pro Bono Activities
- J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center, San Juan Capistrano, CA, Chairman, 1999-2001, 2009-2010; Director, 1994 - Present
Ancillary Businesses
- Bankers’ Compliance Group
- Bankers’ Compliance Group Publications and Training Services