Bill Clark's Profile

Mr. Clark joined Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt, LLC in 2020 as “Of Counsel.” He previously practiced law with the law firm Redden, Mills, Clark & Shaw and its predecessors from 1972 to 2020. Mr. Clark and Steve Shaw were the remaining members of that firm following the death of William H. Mills in 2019. Mr. Shaw also joined Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt, LLC.

Mr. Clark holds a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a J.D. from The University of Alabama. While in law school he served as Managing Editor of the Alabama Law Review and upon graduation he served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Walter P. Gewin, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Mr. Clark is engaged in a trial and appellate, white collar criminal defense, criminal defense, domestic relations, civil litigation, and professional licensing practice.

He has served as President of both the Birmingham Bar and the Alabama State Bar Associations. He has been awarded the Alabama State Bar Award of Merit for his service as Chair of the State Bar Committee on Indigent Defense, the Walter P. Gewin Award given by the ABICLE for service in the area of continuing legal education, and the Roderick Beddow, Sr. Award by the Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association for distinguished service in the field of criminal law. He was presented the L. Burton Barnes III Award for Public Service by the Birmingham Bar Association. He is an elected member of the American Law Institute, and a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America in the areas of white collar criminal defense, criminal defense and domestic relations. He was selected as The Best Lawyers 2012 Birmingham Criminal Defense: White Collar Lawyer of the Year.

Mr. Clark served on the Advisory Committee of the Alabama Supreme Court which drafted the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure and was an ex-officio member of the Advisory Committee which drafted the Alabama Rules of Evidence. He also served as a member of the American Bar Association team which studied and reported on significant deficiencies in the death penalty process in Alabama, and served as a member of the Alabama Law Institute (ALI) committee which reviewed and made recommendations re: the Alabama Criminal Code. He also serves on the ALI Executive Committee. Mr. Clark has served as an Adjunct Professor at The University of Alabama School of Law teaching evidence, criminal procedure and business crimes.

Active in the community, Mr. Clark served as Chair of the Birmingham Metropolitan YMCA Board, Chair of the Vulcan District of the Boy Scouts of America, and as a member of the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Alabama. For many years he taught an adult Sunday School Class beginning with Forrest Lake United Methodist Church while in law school and later at First United Methodist and Highlands United Methodist in Birmingham.

Mr. Clark served on active duty in the Army as an Infantry Officer in Germany, the U.S. and South Vietnam. After leaving the Active Army, and upon graduation from law school, he continued his military service in the Army Reserve, culminating as Commanding General, 87^th Division (Ex). He retired from the Army as a Major General.

Education

Bar Addmissions

Previous Positions