Michael Emory Clark
September 11, 1956 – September 18, 2026

Michael Emory Clark, a respected Houston attorney and scholar, passed away peacefully on September 18, 2026, at the age of 70.

Mike earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1979, and went on to receive his Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law in 1982, where he met his wife, Diane.  He later returned to the classroom to earn two Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees from the University of Houston Law Center – Taxation in 1996; Health Law in 2000 – a reflection of his lifelong commitment to mastering his craft.  He was licensed to practice law in both Texas and Hawaii.

He began his legal career in public service, first as an Assistant District Attorney in Galveston County, Texas, and then as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, where he served for ten years, rising to Chief of the Criminal Division and Chief of the Financial Fraud Division.  Mike later moved into private practice, where he became one of Houston’s most accomplished litigators, most recently serving as Senior Counsel in the Health Law, Business Litigation and White-Collar Defense, Investigations and Regulatory Enforcement practices at Womble Bond Dickinson LLP.

Over his 44-year career, Mike served as lead trial counsel in more than 100 jury trials and managed dozens of appeals, building a practice centered on complex litigation, civil False Claims Act cases, internal investigations, and healthcare and regulatory compliance matters.  No matter which side of the courtroom he was on, his practice was about doing the right thing and seeking fair justice.

Mike’s expertise was formally recognized throughout his career.  He was Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988 and by the National Board of Trial Advocacy since 1989.  His accolades are too voluminous to list completely.  Among them, he was repeatedly honored by Best Lawyers in America in Health Care Law, Criminal Defense, and Commercial Litigation; was named Houston’s Health Care Law “Lawyer of the Year” in 2020; was twice named Healthcare Lawyer of the Year by Corporate LiveWire (2018, 2019); was recognized by Chambers USA for White-Collar Crime litigation; was named to the Lawdragon 500 list of Leading Litigators in America; and was a Texas Super Lawyers honoree for 20 consecutive years.

Beyond the courtroom, Mike was a dedicated teacher.  He served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Law Center and was on the faculty of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.  He was a prolific author and editor, serving as co-author of White Collar Crime (3rd Edition), Editor-in-Chief of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Law treatise, and editor of Corporate Criminal Liability treatise, among numerous articles he wrote on healthcare fraud and regulatory enforcement.  Mike was deeply engaged in the American Bar Association, where he served as former Chair of the Health Law Section, served on several other committees, and, in 2023, was appointed by the ABA President to the Standing Committee on Specialization.  He frequently spoke at conferences throughout the country.  He helped co-found the American Bar Association’s National Institute on False Claims Act Trials, and also co-founded the White Collar Law Group on LinkedIn, which has over 40,000 members nationwide.

As much as he enjoyed practicing law, learning and teaching, Mike loved spending time with his family even more.  He enjoyed traveling with his wife of 43 years and their two children, including many trips to Hawaii.

He is survived by his wife, Diane Duesler Clark; daughter, Jessica; son, Christopher; two Newfoundland dogs, Mookie and Teddy; brother, Steven Clark (Sharin); brothers-in-law Donald Duesler (Marita) and Thomas Duesler (Ellen); and many other family members whom he loved very much.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Emory Eugene Clark and Jean Frances Reed Clark.

Funeral services will be at Crowder Funeral Home, 111 E. Medical Center Blvd., Webster, Texas 77598 on Friday, October 9, 2026.  Michael’s family will greet guests from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., followed by a service at 10:00 a.m.  Private graveside services will be held after the service.  Memorial donations may be made to Glioblastoma Research Organization (https://www.gbmresearch.org/donate)