Kelly Clark
Kelly Clark is a trial and appellate lawyer who represents individuals, families and businesses against governments, corporations and other powerful institutions. He is well-recognized for his courtroom skills as well for his knowledge of public and constitutional law. He is also one of the leading lawyers in the US for victims of childhood sexual abuse. As of 2009, Mr. Clark has practiced before or against some 85 federal, state and local government agencies. He has brought cases in state and federal court on civil rights, voting rights, religious liberty, free speech and property rights. He has been legal counsel to numerous political campaigns, including legislative, congressional and gubernatorial candidates.
Just in the last few years, Mr. Clark has successfully handled numerous cases of public significance: in 2008 winning his second major Oregon Supreme Court victory for child abuse survivors (see more on this case below); in 2007, capping over a dozen years of work on behalf of those abused by Catholic priests, with over 40 clients in the Archdiocese of Portland bankruptcy; also in 2007, obtaining several trial court rulings and a state Supreme Court win in a major abuse case against the Mormon Church; since 2005, challenging the expansion of casinos in Oregon, including the Florence casino and the proposed Columbia Gorge casino; since 2004, advocating for the rights of property owners under Oregon’s landmark property rights Ballot Measure 37; and in 2004 challenging Multnomah County’s issuance of same sex marriage certificates—a challenge which resulted in a unanimous win before the Oregon Supreme Court.Kelly and his firm have also been the primary lawyers for charter schools around the state since the Legislature authorized such schools in 1997, as well as frequently being brought as counsel to ballot measures or electoral campaigns.
For two decades, Kelly Clark has been one of Oregon’s leading advocates for children, initially while serving in the Legislature, co-authoring Oregon’s child abuse statute of limitations as well as the ban on possession of child pornography, and then in private practice, where he has represented over 200 individuals abused as children by trusted adults, including Catholic priests, Mormon Church leaders, other ministers, coaches, Scout leaders, and teachers. His 1999 win in the Oregon Supreme Court against the Catholic Church gained nationwide attention for its landmark theory of liability for “institutions of trust” whose employees abuse children. Likewise, his 2008 win against the Boy Scouts and a local government agency helped remove some of the special immunities abuse survivors face in bringing claims against public agencies.
Mr. Clark is active in community and charitable endeavors, is a sometime adjunct Professor of Political Science at George Fox University, and is also a candidate for the Master’s Degree in theology from Australia’s Trinity College Theological School.
Often asked to lecture on effective public speaking, Mr. Clark is widely in demand as a speaker and writer on issues of law and public policy.