Mario R. McClain, Jr.

Associate Law Clerk

Contact Information
mmclain@pldolaw.com

P 401-824-5100
F 401-824-5123
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Mario R. McClain, Jr. is an Associate Law Clerk with Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara LLC and a member of the firm’s Alternative Dispute Resolution and Special Masterships practice groups. His focus is assisting the Special Mastership in Prison Monitoring Team for the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, which is responsible for monitoring prison reform compliance and progress in the implementation of mandatory mental health screening, diagnosis and treatment of prisoners throughout the California prison system.

Mr. McClain is a skilled legal writer and researcher with a passion for Civil Law and ensuring that all, and especially underserved individuals, are treated with dignity and fairness. In November 2024, he was elected to the Board of Directors of Justice Assistance, a nonprofit organization that empowers justice-involved individuals by providing essential resources for employment, housing, behavioral health, and financial literacy.

Prior to joining the firm, he was selected for the Rhode Island Attorney General William C. Clifton, Sr. Clerkship Program that was designed to attract talented, underrepresented law students to careers in public service. During his tenure, he worked in the Health Care section, Civil Division.

Mr. McClain earned his Juris Doctorate from Roger Williams University School of Law, where he was Secretary of the American Indian Law Student Association and a member of the Street Law Program, which educates local inner-city high school students about law, democracy and human rights. Prior to that, he was a J.D. Candidate at Vermont Law School, where he was Vice President Native American Law Student Association, a Student Ambassador and a member of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA), where he focused on Civil Litigation.

Mr. McClain earned both his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Criminal Justice from the University of Rhode Island (URI), and studied abroad at the University of Salamanca, Spain. While at URI, he was a founding member and President of the Police Student Advisory Committee, a course instructor for the URI 101 Mentor organization, and served as a Civility Mentor and Residence Hall Team leader, where he modeled and taught bystander responsibility, provided education and facilitated proactive programs that addressed issues of civility.