13 things about Toronto, Ontario native Dan Markel

Daniel Eric “Dan” Markel was an attorney and a law professor born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is Phil Markel and Ruth Markel‘s son.

Phil served as the president of Smart Outsourcing Services, an apparel warehousing and distribution business in Toronto. Ruth is the author of “Room at the Top: A Woman’s Guide to Moving Up in Business” and the owner of RNM Enterprises, a business management consulting company in Toronto.

BIOGRAPHY

Dan wrote important works on retribution in criminal law and sentencing. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. He was a scholar in residence at the law school of New York University in New York City, New York, United States.
2. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA with a bachelor’s degree in politics and philosophy and earned his master’s degree in political theory from the university.
3. He studied political philosophy at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Jerusalem, Israel.
4. He earned his master’s degree in philosophy at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, United Kingdom where he graduated with high honors.
5. He co-founded PrawfsBlawg, a blog addressing various topics related to law and life.
6. After earning his Juris Doctor from Harvard University in 2001, he worked as a research fellow at the Berkman Center at Harvard Law School, a law clerk for Judge Michael Daly Hawkins on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and an associate at Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel in Washington, D.C., USA.  
7. In 2005, he joined the faculty of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida where he taught criminal law.
8. In 2006, he married Wendi Jill Adelson, the daughter of Dr. Harvey J. Adelson and Donna Sue Adelson of Coral Springs, Florida, USA.
9. In 2009, Wendi gave birth to their first son.
10. In 2010, Wendi gave birth to their second son and he was tenured at Florida State University.
11. In 2012, he and Wendi separated and he was promoted to full professor at Florida State University.
12. In 2013, he and Wendi divorced.
13. In 2014, he died at age 41.

TIMELINE

Dan was seven years older than Wendi. He co-authored “Privilege or Punish: Criminal Justice and the Challenge of Family Ties“, which was published in 2009.

2000s

• On February 26, 2006, he married Wendi. Rabbi Shaul Robinson officiated at Congregation B’nai Israel in Boca Raton, Florida.

2010s

• On September 10, 2012, Wendi filed for divorce against him.
• On June 20, 2013, a judge denied Wendi’s motion for relocation with their children.
• On July 31, 2013, his divorce from Wendi was finalized. He won an order prohibiting her from moving to Miami, Florida with their two sons and she was granted 50-50 custody of their children.
• On October 9, 2013, he turned 41.
• Shortly before 11:00 a.m. on July 18, 2014, he was shot by hired gunmen Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera at his home in Tallahassee. Garcia is the former boyfriend of Katherine Magbanua, the girlfriend of Wendi’s brother Charles Jay “Charlie” Adelson.
• On July 19, 2014, he died.