Frank M. Clay

Frank proudly served in the United States Army as a paralegal. During his service, he participated in numerous courts-martial and administrative separation hearings and advised military commanders on a wide range of legal matters. The leadership, discipline, and commitment he developed in the Army continues to shape how he advocates for his clients.

Before joining the firm, Frank’s legal experience was shaped through mentorship from judges at every level of the judiciary. He served as a Law Clerk for the judges of the Virginia Beach Circuit Court, an Intern for Judge April C. Wood of the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and an Extern for Justice D. Arthur Kelsey of the Supreme Court of Virginia. These experiences have given him valuable insights he now uses to benefits his clients.

A quick handshake

•What inspired you to start a small business at the age of 18?

My father owned a small asphalt paving business, where I learned the trade at a young age. By eighteen, I was experienced in both residential and commercial paving. I used those skills to work my way through college while attending as a full-time student.

•How did your experience as a young business owner shape your perspective on entrepreneurship and the law?

It taught me to develop a healthy appetite for risk. Running a business required setting aside emotion and fear to make sound decisions - a skill that translates directly to the courtroom. In my view, the willingness to take calculated risks is one of the most important qualities of an effective trial lawyer.

•Outside of practicing law, what are your passions or hobbies??

I enjoy traveling with my wife and spending as much time outdoors as possible, whether golfing, hiking, fishing, or hunting, I love it all.

Experience

•$1,000,000 verdict - Served as a member of the trial team in a four-day jury trial in Roanoke County Circuit Court involving a defamation claim.

•$999,500 settlement - Represented patient in a medical malpractice case where a surgeon failed to properly utilize a cardiopulmonary bypass machine during a triple bypass (CABG) procedure.

•$999,500 settlement - Represented estate in wrongful death case involving failure to diagnose cancer, resulting in metastatic disease and death.

•$950,000 settlement - Represented patient whose right leg was amputated after defendants failed to assess a developing ischemic condition following a minor ankle injury.

•$600,000 settlement - Represented patient in a medical malpractice case where an orthopedic surgeon misaligned an acetabular cup during total hip replacement and concealed the resulting complications, causing months of unnecessary suffering.

•$550,000 settlement - Represented patient in a medical malpractice case where a surgeon left a 17 cm embolized wire inside the body during a pacemaker replacement, which migrated into the right pulmonary artery and perforated the left atrium.

•$400,000 settlement - Represented plaintiff in a premises liability case after slipping on an ice cube in a Food Lion grocery store, resulting in a fractured knee.

•$350,000 settlement - Represented estate in a wrongful death case involving delay in diagnosing and treating a postoperative spinal infection, leading to sepsis and death.

•$349,999.10 settlement - Represented plaintiff injured in a rear-end collision on Route 220 caused by a speeding driver who failed to keep a proper lookout.

•$121,000 settlement - Represented plaintiff injured in a head-on collision resulting in $40,532.08 in medical expenses.

•$10,000 settlement - Represented plaintiff in a bumper-to-bumper collision resulting in $3,726.60 in medical expenses.

Library

•When Words Cross the Line: Lessons from a $1 Million Defamation Verdict
Articles
Sep 2025
•Gentry Locke Welcomes Attorney Frank M. Clay to its Plaintiff Group
News
Feb 2025