Judge Edmund W. Clarke, Jr.: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

Hon. Edmund W. Clarke, Jr. (Ret.) was a judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court in California. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. David Schacter. Clarke retired on September 24, 2020.

Prior to his appointment, he had worked as a private practice attorney. He first joined the law firm of Kirtland & Packard as an associate in 1981, where he was eventually named a partner. Then, in 1987, Clarke partnered at Baker, Silberberg, & Keener. He remained with the firm, which later became Stark, Rasak, & Clarke (1992 to 2005) and Stark & Clarke (2005 to 2007), until his appointment to the Superior Court in 2007. His areas of practice included medical malpractice and personal injury.

Clarke received a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. He went on to complete a J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.

After graduating from law school, Clarke began his legal career as a deputy public defender with the Law Offices of Los Angeles County Public Defender (1977 to 1981).

He was publicly admonished by the Commission on Judicial Performance in 2017 for comments he made to a potential juror.

Clarke was registered as a Republican.