[2] In 1979, he received a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas Law School in Austin.
Clark was an assistant city attorney in the City Attorney's Office of Abilene from 1979 to 1982- while working in the Public Defender's office his business card read: "Reasonable Doubt, at a Reasonable Price."
From 1997 to 2002, while in Sherman in Grayson County, Clark served as a Republican member from District 62 in the Texas House of Representatives.
On January 23, 2002, Clark was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas vacated by Howell Cobb.
[1] A brief controversy arose over Clark's stated intent to remain on the ballot for reelection to his Texas House seat, and to serve through the next legislative session before assuming his judgeship, but this delay proved uncomfortable for the Bush Administration, and ultimately did not materialize.