ERICA T. CLARKE

ERICA T. CLARKE was appointed by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh to fill a vacant seat on the Syracuse City Court. A criminal-defense lawyer in Syracuse, she has worked in the local court system for the past decade. Clarke has experience as a prosecutor, defense attorney, and an assistant corporation counsel. She earned her juris doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2010. After interning in the Office of the Public Defender in Jacksonville, Florida, she returned to Syracuse to work as a law and appeals intern in the Onondaga County Office of the District Attorney. In 2011, Clarke became an assistant district attorney working in the City/Municipal Court Bureau, handling misdemeanor and violation-level offenses. In 2013, she moved to the Felony Vehicular Crimes unit, prosecuting misdemeanor and felony offenses, including preparing and conducting jury-level trials and hearings. Clarke worked as assistant corporation counsel for the City of Syracuse from 2017 to 2019 and represented the city in state and federal lawsuits, including preparing and conducting jury trials and managing all aspects of civil litigation. Clarke currently owns and operates her own law practice, Clarke Law Firm, PLLC, which focuses solely on criminal defense. She attended Syracuse city schools and earned her bachelor’s degree from Keuka College in 2007. She fills a City Court seat vacated by the Hon. Rory McMahon who was elected to State Supreme Court this past November. Clarke will be one of nine judges on the court.