fbpx

Sandra Clark Shareholder

Beaumont
  • t: 409-951-7732
  • SandraClark@MehaffyWeber.com

Sandra Clark is a trial lawyer whose primary concentration is in premises liability litigation as well as commercial and products liability litigation. She has extensive trial experience in complex litigation. Clients depend on her skills as a trial lawyer, her calm demeanor in times of crisis, her positive attitude, and her strategic thinking. Colleagues recognize her for her unparalleled legal skills, ethical conduct, and her leadership in the courtroom. She was recently awarded the prestigious Blackstone Award by the Jefferson County Bar Association recognizing her entire legal career. 

Ms. Clark attended the University of Houston Law Center after receiving her Masters Degree from Lamar University. Upon graduating from law school, Ms. Clark joined MehaffyWeber and began her distinguished career as a litigator. She has defended clients in claims involving millions of dollars, and her successful outcomes have been recognized by industry leading publications, including by the National Law Journal for obtaining one of the top defense verdicts in the nation, and was selected to Texas Super Lawyers list by Thomson Reuters (2003-2023). She was listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation (2021-2024), Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants (2016-2024), Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (2011-2024), and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2012-2024). Ms. Clark was also recognized in the The Best Lawyers in America®  “Lawyer of the Year” on three separate occasions for Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2012), Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (2016), and Mass Torts Litigation – Defendants (2017).

Ms. Clark has held numerous leadership positions, recently serving as a liaison committee member for the Texas Asbestos MDL. Ms. Clark is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial  Law, and served as Chair of the Advisory Committee to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for Personal Injury. She has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by Thompson Reuters since the beginning of that award and this year was again recognized as one of the Top Women Lawyers in Texas.

Ms. Clark is extremely active in multiple non-profits in her community. She serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Lamar University Foundation, the Board and President of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, the Board and President of Lamar University Friends of the Arts, the Board and Executive Committee of the Symphony of Southeast Texas, on the Board of Some Other Place – a non-profit for the homeless and near homeless in Southeast Texas.

EDUCATION
  • University of Houston Law Center, J.D.
    • Member of Board of Advocates, Research Editor for the University of Houston Law Review, and life member of the Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity
  • Lamar University, M.A. in English
  • Texas Tech University, B.A. in English and History
  • State of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • American Board of Trial AdvocatesHouston Chapter
  • Liaison Committee for Texas Asbestos MDL (2004 to present)
  • Products Liability Advisory Council, Member
  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (2006 to present)
  • Litigation Counsel of America
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Commissioner for Personal Injury Board Certification Examination (1999 to 2012)
  • Advisory Committee of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for Personal Injury Trial Law (2006-2011), Chair (2012)
  • Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • American Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Michelle F. Mehaffy Inn of Court, Master
  • American Bar Association
  • American Bar Association Foundation, Life Member
  • State Bar of Texas
    • Committee on Professionalism, Past Member
  • Jefferson County Bar Association
    • Board of Directors, Past Member
    • Bar Association Journal
    • Attorney-Client Conciliation Committee, Past Member
    • Public Awareness Committee
    • Historical Committee
  • Best Lawyers®
    • Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation (2021-2024)
    • Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants (2011-2024)
    • Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Product Liability Litigation-Defendants (2012-2024)
    • Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Defendants (2016-2024)
    • Named the Best Lawyers 2017 Mass Tort Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year”
    • Named the Best Lawyers 2016 Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year”
    • Named the Best Lawyers 2012 Product Liability Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year”
  • Super Lawyers
    • Selected to Texas Super Lawyers list by Thomson Reuters (2003 – 2023)
    • Selected to the “Top 100 List – Houston Region” List, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2006, 2008-2010, 2012-2015, 2021)
    • Selected to the “Top 50 Women in Texas” List, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2006 – 2010, 2012-2018, 2021)
    • Selected to the “Feature Story” List, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2021)
    • Selected to Super Lawyers Business Edition (formerly Corporate Counsel Edition) by Thomson Reuters in Personal Injury Defense (2011- 2015)
  • AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Selected as an H Texas Magazine “Top Lawyer in Houston” for Personal Injury
  • DuPont Leaders Circle Award
  • DuPont Silver Eagle Award (January, 2007)
  • DuPont Legal Challenge Awards (2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012)
  • DuPont Women’s Leadership Award (2012)
  • Andrew Hecker Award, (2011) – Best legal article submitted to FDCC
  • Recipient of Presidential Citation for Service to the State Bar of Texas
  • Honoree of the 2011 “Go Red for Women” Luncheon by the American Heart Association
  • Distinguished Alumnae Award, Lamar University (2015)
  • Recipient of the Blackstone Award by the Jefferson County Bar Association (2019)
  • Dallas ABOTA Teachers’ Law School: Sandra along with 5 other ABOTA members presents a talk on the importance of maintaining the jury system to a meeting of area high school social studies teachers. Her presentation also included information on the importance of due process in the United States especially now and especially on the Texas border, June 2018
  • ABOTA Masters in Trial:  Twelve Hours of Decisions, April 2018
  • Trial Masters Program, Co-Chair, FDCC Annual Meeting, Banff, Alberta, July 2015
  • “Cross Examination of the Expert Witness,” TADC Spring Meeting, Galveston, 2015
  • “Effective Steps in Assisting the Unpopular Client,” (co-written with Allan Campo and Ralph Zappala,) FDCC 2014; Winter Meeting at Marco Island, March 2014
  • Practical Considerations for Protecting the Trial Record – When to Object and Why,” DRI Trial Tactics, Las Vegas, NE, March 2012
  • Medicare: It’s Knocking on the Door—Are You Ready?” Jefferson County Bar Association, “Excellent, Entertaining, Ethics Extravaganza,” January 10, 2012
  • “Somebody’s Knocking…The Government?” Jefferson County Bar Association, “Litigation CLE & General Practice Skills,” October 2011
  • “Successful Mediation – Defendant’s Perspective,” Jefferson County Bar Association, “Mediation – Practical and Ethical Considerations,” September 2011
  • “Cross-Examination of Hostile Witnesses. Crafting Cross-Examination on Strategies, Optimizing Technology and Applying Psychology Tools,” Webinar by Strafford Publications, September 2011
  • Medicare: It’s Knocking on the Door—Are You Ready?” DRI’s “Damages Seminar,” Las Vegas, NE, March 2011
  • “The Art of Cross-Examination: A Female Trial Lawyer’s Point of View,” Jefferson County Bar Association, “Practical Advice from the Local Pros,” January 2011
  • “Tips From a Trial Lawyer,” Artful Intelligence/Texas Women Lawyers 2010 Annual CLE, Houston, Texas, 2010
  • “The Art of Cross Examination,” Trial Masters Program, FDCC Winter Meeting Orlando, Florida, 2010
  • “Gee, Toto – I Don’t Think We’re in Kansas Anymore:  Litigating in the Hell-Hole Jurisdiction” FDCC’s Spring Meeting, July 2009
  • “Hang ‘Em High: Challenging Expert Witnesses,” TADC’s Fall Meeting, September 2007
  • New Rules Regarding Multi-District Litigation,” Harris Martin Medical Seminar Houston, Texas, February 2005
  • “New Rules Regarding Multi-District Litigation,” DRI’s 25th Annual Asbestos Medicine Seminar, 2004
  • “New Rules Regarding Multi-District Litigation,” TADC’s Fall Meeting, September 2004
  • Premises Liability for Asbestos Cases – “A Leap to Incorrect Conclusion,” Asbestos Litigation 2004 Conference, April 2004
  • “Identification and Preparation of Medical Experts with an Eye Toward Daubert,” DRI’s 23rd Annual Asbestos Medicine Seminar, Las Vegas, NE, 2002
  • “Lessons Learned from Asbestos Litigation,” Seminar for In-House Counsel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2002
  • “Texas Civil Procedure Update,” Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2002, 2004
  • “A Retrospective of Asbestos Litigation–How Did We Get Here?” DRI’s 20TH Annual Asbestos Medicine Seminar, 1999
  • “Ethical Considerations in the Mass Filing and Mass Settlement of Asbestos Actions,” DRI Asbestos Seminar, Houston, Texas, 1997
  • “Mediation of Mass Tort Cases – Defense Perspective,” Jefferson County Bar Association, Beaumont, Texas, 1997
  • “Defending the Punitive Damages Case,” 35th Annual Corporate Counsel Institute, Chicago, Illinois, 1996
  • “Depositions of Party and Lay Witnesses,” Texas Association of Defense Counsel “Rookie Seminar,” 1995
  • “Update of Texas Rules of Evidence and Appellate Procedure,” Legal Assistant Board Certification Seminar, Houston, Texas, 1994

Laura Kathleen Fielding, Administrator of the Estate of Charles W. Hodge v. Janniece Tullos
Sandra Clark, Michele Smith

The appeal was from summary judgment holding our client had not exerted any undue influence to obtain an inheritance. The Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment in favor of the firm’s client.

 

Janie Wolf, et al vs. The Dow Chemical Co.
Art Almquist, Sandra Clark, Paul Heyburn, Premises Liability

The firm represented Dow Chemical Co. and obtained a defense verdict on February 1, 2008. In 1999, Alton Wolf died of lung cancer, at the age of 65. Wolf’s widow and adult children sued Dow for gross negligence, alleging that Mr. Wolf’s cancer was caused by exposure to asbestos in the workplace and that the workplace was unsafe. Alton Wolf held various jobs, such as a pipefitter and operator from 1952 to 1987 as an employee of The Dow Chemical Co. in Freeport. Dow Chemical contended that it operated its facility in a safe manner, that Mr. Wolf’s asbestos exposure was minimal and his cancer was caused by his smoking history of at least 40 pack-years.

More Info: Janie Wolf, et al vs. The Dow Chemical Co.; Cause Number 16383*BH01, District Court of Texas, 23rd Judicial District, Brazoria County

 

Caryl Richardson, Individually and as Independent Executrix of the Estate of Willis N. Whisnant, Jr., Deceased, et al vs. E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., et al
M.C. Carrington, Sandra Clark, Premises Liability

The firm worked with Cotton Schmidt representing E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. in a successful jury trial. This trial focused on the claims of Willis N. Whisnat, Jr., a pipefitter employed by B.F. Shaw, a general contractor. His family alleged that Whisnant developed mesothelioma and died in 1999 at 72 years of age as a result of

Menu