Mr. Clark graduated from the State University College at Buffalo (B.S., summa cum laude) in 1984. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 1987. While at the University of Oklahoma, he served as Note Editor of the Oklahoma Law Review. He authored " Products Liability: Oklahoma's Defective Test for Defect-The Consumer Expectation Test and Its Limitations," 39-2 Oklahoma Law Review (1986)
Mr. Clark is admitted to practice before all Federal and State Courts in the State of Florida and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He has tried numerous cases in both State and Federal Court. He has written briefs and argued appeals in the Florida Appellate Courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Mr. Clark has served on The Florida Bar Fee Arbitration Committee. Mr. Clark is a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association; The Florida Bar; The Maritime Law Association of the United States; The Southeastern Admiralty law Institute and the Jacksonville Propeller Club. He is also a member of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He has spoken at maritime seminars and has taught legal research and writing to paralegals studying for their paralegal certificates.
He served with the United States Coast Guard from 1976-1980. During his service with the Coast Guard Mr. Clark served aboard a Coast Guard Cutter. He stood helm watches, assisted in navigation, and served on the deck as a seaman. He also qualified as an engineer and as a machinist mate stood watches in a manned engine room while performing machinery repair and maintenance.
During his service aboard the ship he knew every inch of the vessel and understood most every aspect of its operation. His Cutter performed search and rescue operations around the Hawaiian Islands and in the open Pacific Ocean as far as Midway Island. His vessel was often in heavy seas in foul weather.
Mr. Clark also served in the Port of Houston as a Port Safety Officer. During those years he boarded thousands of vessels of every kind that entered the Port of Houston and conducted safety inspections. He personally responded to catastrophic maritime disasters including ship and oil refinery explosions and fires and assisted in port safety and investigation of those incidents. He also served occasionally on small patrol boats and helicopters during search and rescue and pollution control operations.
After leaving the Coast Guard Mr. Clark worked for a prominent law firm in Houston as a marine investigator. His sole job was the investigation of marine accidents, injuries and damages, of every type, in and around the Port of Houston. Mr. Clark's background and life's experience have prepared him and this firm to have a comprehensive understanding of the maritime things and casualties.
Mr. Clark is an avid fisherman, boater and outdoorsman. He regularly boats on the waters of the St. Johns River, the intracoastal waterway, and is very familiar with waters and ocean around Jacksonville and St. Augustine.
Mr. Clark is licensed by the United States Coast Guard as a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer - Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels - Inland - As defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101 (42)(B).
