Elford (“El”) Clark received his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Florida in 1971, and Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Western State University, College of Law, Fullerton, California, in 1989. In his more than 25 years as a California attorney, he has tried personal injury, contract, construction defect, partnership and probate (wills and trusts) related cases. On occasion, he has taken cases up on appeal as well. El’s California Bar license is current and active.
El Clark also began serving as General Counsel of The Foursquare Church denomination in 1992, a position he held for over twenty years. In that role he managed litigation and represented the 1,600 plus local Foursquare churches in courts and mediations all across the U.S. and the world, including Kenya and South Africa. He has also helped resolve pastor/congregation conflicts and intra-congregation church conflicts. El retired as the church General Counsel in 2014, but periodically still serves as a consultant. He is a frequent advisor on legal issues for church and para-church ministries. He has served on the advisory committee of the Church Risk Management Certification Program of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England.
In 2014, El Clark became a Florida Certified Circuit and Appellate Mediator (#30642RA). With years of practical experience, hundreds of mediations, and extensive training received from Pepperdine University, Strauss Institute of Mediation and Peace Maker Ministries, El launched Pathfinder Mediations in 2014 with the belief that “there is always a pathway to peace. My job as a mediator is to help people find it.” As Pathfinder Mediations’ primary mediator, El mediates litigated and non-litigated cases on both coasts and in the heartland of America. Pathfinder Mediations maintains offices in Los Angeles, California and Gainesville, Florida.