Clayton R. Blackstock

In 1983, Clayton Blackstock started practicing law with his current law partner, Michael W. Mitchell. He graduated from Baylor Law School in Waco, Texas in 1982. He also secured his Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University as an undergraduate.

Baylor University is known for its high standards and its exceptional litigation training program. Baylor law students have consistently scored in the top percentiles on the Texas Bar Exam. Baylor’s mock trial teams have historically won or placed high in national mock trial events. law.baylor.edu

Since he began his practice in 1983 Clayton has represented teachers and school support staff throughout all Arkansas. He has represented many educators in wrongful termination proceedings and to secure pay due under contract or by statute. He also serves as general counsel for the Arkansas Education Association by providing business advice as well as serving as the parliamentarian for the Association’s assembly of members.

Clayton has testified before legislative committees and has drafted many pieces of legislation for a wide range of clients.

Clayton’s business clients have included savings and loans, former directors of savings and loans, a national rental company, a regional leasing company, insurance carriers providing medical and dental malpractice defense coverage for their insured, trade associations, franchises, medical clinics and numerous small businesses. In his representation of businesses, he provides advice on a range of topics including employment contracts, purchase contracts, employee terminations, the Family Medical Leave Act, COBRA, compliance with Title VII and other civil rights laws and compliance with state and federal and wage and labor laws.

Since 1990 Clayton has served as an arbitrator on the Commercial Arbitration Panel of the American Arbitration Association. He has served as an arbitrator in disputes involving securities fraud , business contracts and insurance contracts. He has also served as an advocate for clients in arbitration proceedings.

His history of business litigation, medical malpractice defense and education law can be seen in a number of reported opinions. See e.g. Ryder Truck Rental v. Sutton (Business Litigation); Williamson v. Elrod, 348 Ark 307 (2002) (Medical Malpractice); and Hamilton v. PCSSD, 321 Ark. 261 (1995) (Education Law).

He served for ten years on the City of Maumelle’s Planning Commission. He has represented numerous clients on zoning and land use issues drawing on his background as a planning commissioner and his interest in constitutional law. He serves on the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas (ACLU) legal panel and has been a cooperating attorney with the ACLU in a variety of cases. Most recently, he represented students, including former Governor Huckabee’s daughter, at Ouachita University in a voting rights case.

In 1999 he was awarded the VOCALS attorney of the year award for this service to those below the poverty line and in need of legal services. VOCALS is an organization where attorneys agree to represent people who can’t afford an attorney. In particular, he was recognized for his service to an elderly client with no relatives who had signed away her home under duress to people who promised to take care of her. Although his client was admitted to a nursing home, he secured the return of her home and took her back to visit her home so that she could see that everything was in order and have a sense of peace before she passed away. He continues to participate in that program by representing indigent clients.

Baylor University is where Clayton developed an interest in short fiction through upper level English courses. During law school, he saw a connection between his love for short fiction and trial work. Every word in a short story is selected carefully. In a short story, in a limited amount of space and time, the writer elicits an emotional reaction from the reader. He applies the same concept when telling a story to a jury. The story itself and the words chosen should elicit a reaction from the listener. The listener should not be told how to feel or think but rather, come to that conclusion on his or her own.

He has participated in a Dad’s On Campus program at his daughter’s grade school. The program is designed to bring more male role models into children’s lives at an early age. He read to the grade school classes and ate lunch and attended recess with them. He could tell which students probably didn’t have male role models in their lives as those students are the ones who gravitated towards him and became close friends.

As an attorney Clayton is both a counselor and an advocate. He counsels his clients by giving his professional opinion on the potential risks, rewards and costs of litigation. He advocates for his clients when dealing with judges, juries, arbitrators and opposing counsel.

Contact Clayton:
501-378-7870
cblackstock@mitchellblackstock.com

Areas of Practice

• Business Litigation
• Employment Litigation
• Probate Litigation
• Contract Litigation
• Administrative Hearings
• Professional Licensure
• Child Maltreatment
• Labor Law
• Wage and Hour
• Family Medical Leave Act
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Civil Rights
• Medical Malpractice Defense
• Arbitration