Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti appointed Madeline Clark to serve as Tennessee’s next solicitor general upon the exit of current Solicitor General Matt Rice.
Clark (pictured above) will officially assume the role on June 8, succeeding Rice, who announced earlier this year that he would leave public service to join Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in the firm’s litigation practice.
In announcing the appointment, Skrmetti praised Clark’s legal pedigree and her contributions since joining the attorney general’s office late last year as principal deputy solicitor general.
Please join us in congratulating Madeline Clark on her appointment as Tennessee’s next Solicitor General! Her extraordinary experience and dedication have prepared her well to serve the people of the Volunteer State.
➡️ Read more: https://t.co/54n7MYzzh8 pic.twitter.com/VJqrrpSyET
— TN Attorney General (@AGTennessee) May 18, 2026
“Maddy Clark is exactly the kind of lawyer we want standing up for Tennessee. She comes exceptionally prepared for this job through her clerkships for Justices Thomas and Barrett as well as Judge Pryor, plus her elite litigation experience in private practice,” Skrmetti said in a statement on Monday.
Skremtti added that Clark had already proven herself in the office through her work on complex appellate matters and multistate litigation.
“And of course, she has already put her extraordinary legal talent to work for our State as our principal deputy solicitor general. I have every confidence Maddy will step into her new role with excellence and integrity. I’m proud she will be leading our appellate team and excited to see what she does,” he said.
Clark joined the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office in December 2025 after working as an associate at Jones Day, one of the nation’s leading litigation firms. During her tenure in the office, she quickly became involved in the state’s national coalition work and high-profile appellate cases.
Clark, who has clerked for two sitting U.S. Supreme Court justices and a U.S. Court of Appeals judge, said she is “honored to serve the people of Tennessee” as solicitor general.
“I look forward to building on the outstanding legacy of the Tennessee Solicitor General’s Office,” Clark added.
In her new role as solicitor general, Clark will oversee Tennessee’s appellate litigation strategy, including major constitutional challenges, multistate coalition cases, and appeals before both federal and state courts.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X.
Photo “Madeline Clark” by Madeline Clark.
