Standing up for Landowners. Standing up to Government.

Headshot of Attorney Clarissa Levingston

Clarissa Levingston recently joined the firm, transitioning from a general litigation firm to focus her efforts on a condemnation practice. Clarissa graduated magna cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2021, where she was admitted to the Order of the Coif, worked as a Senior Editor on the Alabama Law Review, and served as the President of the Public Interest Student Board. She also handled cases under professor supervision as part of Alabama's Criminal Defense Clinic and assisted her professors in conducting research and preparing course work for first-year legal writing students.

After law school, Clarissa clerked for the Honorable L. Scott Coogler, Chief Judge of the Northern District of Alabama, where she was responsible for Social Security appeals, §2255 petitions, miscellaneous post-conviction criminal motions, and select civil cases. After completing her term with Judge Coogler, Clarissa and her husband, James, moved to the Houston area. She is eager to bring her prior administrative experience and enthusiasm for advocacy to the McFarland team.

  • University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
    • J.D. - 2021
    • Honors: magna cum laude
    • Honors: Order of the Coif
    • Honors: Hugo Black Scholar
    • Honors: Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society Member
    • Honors: Public Interest Certificate
  • Austin College, Sherman, Texas
    • B.A. - 2012
    • Honors: summa cum laude
    • Major: English
  • Texas, 2021
  • Oklahoma, 2023
  • Alabama, 2023
  • Honorable L. Scott Coogler, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, AL, Term Clerk
  • McDowell Heatherington LLP – Houston, TX, Summer Legal Intern and Litigation Associate
  • Jefferson County Public Defender’s Office – Birmingham, AL, Summer Legal Intern
  • University of Alabama School of Law – Tuscaloosa, AL, Research Assistant to Assistant Dean Anita Kay Head, Professor Frederick Vars, and Professor Joyce Vance
  • Office of the Federal Public Defender of for the Northern District of Alabama – Birmingham, AL, Summer Legal Intern
  • Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program – Tuscaloosa, AL, Summer Legal Intern
  • Phi Beta Kappa