ADAM G. CLEMENTS

Adam G. Clements knows all too well about tenacity, determination and challenges. As scholarship football player at the Villanova University in Pennsylvania, he had to deal with significant injuries. But he battled back.

“I overcame significant injuries to make sure I had a successful college career,” he said. “I think it’s the basis of who I am. I like challenges, uphill battles. I think all those qualities have made me a very effective lawyer.”

While attending Southfield High School, he worked at McDonald’s and some other fast food joints, and played football and ran track . In track, he was All County, All Region and All State. Then he went off to college to study criminal justice, knowing all along that he wanted to be lawyer. He figured out that career path at the age of five when he became mesmerized by the TV show “Matlock,” starring Andy Griffith, who played a criminal defense attorney named Ben Matlock.

“I was hooked, I knew that’s exactly what I wanted to do,” he said. “I always considered myself to be an advocate. I enjoy persuasive speaking, I enjoy debate.” Before heading off to law school, he went to Washington, D.C., to work for the Public Defender Service as an investigator. He worked on murder and gun cases, parole violations and a host of other criminal matters.

“I think that was the most profound experience for me prior to becoming a lawyer,” he said. “It taught me a lot about the criminal justice system and really helped give me insight into how things operate.” After three years, he returned to Detroit to attend Wayne State University Law School where he was on the moot court team. In his first year on the team, he won an award for Best Oral Advocate. He also made the national team.

He also got some insights into the court system while working as a law clerk for Detroit 36th District Judge William McConico. “What I took away from that, is that it’s important to be able to look at cases with an open mind and take your time, be patient and pay attention to the little things.”

All those experiences have helped mold him into the lawyer he is today. “I think I offer the unique ability to bring passion to what I do. I easily place myself in the shoes of my clients. I make a big effort to understand the client’s needs. And I’m extremely competitive, which clearly benefits my clients. Like on the football field, I won’t back down when it comes to representing my clients.”

While he doesn’t play organized football any more, he enjoys sports including boxing, football and baseball. He’s a Wolverine fan, and a Lions one as well. He also believes in mentoring. He coaches little league football in Southfield, ages 6-14. “I find that really rewarding,” he says.

Education:

Villanova University, B.S. Criminal Justice

Wayne State University Law School, J.D.