About R. Clinton Clary
R. Clinton Clary Jr. began his legal education at Hampden-Sydney College, where he earned a B.A. in 1979. He continued his studies at the University of Richmond School of Law, receiving his J.D. in 1983. Those formative years set the stage for a practice rooted in courtroom work and public service.
After law school, Clary moved into public prosecution. In 1983 he took a post as Assistant Commonwealth's Lawyer for Brunswick County. That position put him in court frequently and gave him early trial experience. Four years later he entered private practice and in 1987 became a partner at Slayton & Clary, a firm where he has continued to handle criminal matters and related litigation.
Clary is admitted to practice in Virginia and North Carolina, and he is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Those admissions have allowed him to handle cases at the state and federal appellate level. His professional credentials include several defense certifications from the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission: Certified Capital Defense Lead Counsel, Certified Felony Defense Lead Counsel, Certified Misdemeanor Defense Lead Counsel, and Certified Juvenile Defense Lead Counsel. Those designations reflect training and qualifications for a range of criminal cases.
Outside the courtroom, Clary has been active in bar organizations. He has been a member of the Virginia State Bar since 1983 and joined the North Carolina State Bar in 1991. He served on the Third District Ethics Committee of the Virginia State Bar from 1998 to 2004. He is a member of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and has held leadership in his local bar; he has served as president of the Brunswick County Bar Association since 2004.
Colleagues describe him as experienced in trial work and appellate practice, grounded in the procedural aspects of criminal defense and courtroom advocacy. He has combined public-sector beginnings with private practice partnership. He continues to work at Slayton & Clary, where he concentrates on criminal defense, including capital and juvenile matters.
