Hon. Wendell Griffen is a judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit Court of Arkansas. He was elected to the seat in 2010.
The 6th Judicial Circuit includes Perry and Pulaski Counties.
Prior to his election, Griffen was the founder and CEO of Griffen Strategic Consulting, PLLC, having served in that capacity since 2008.
He began his judicial career as a judge for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, a position to which he was appointed by former Governor Jim Guy Tucker in 1995. Griffen remained on its bench until 2008.
He also taught pretrial criminal procedure as a visiting professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law.
He received a B.A. in political science and government from the University of Arkansas in 1973. Griffen went on to complete a J.D. at the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1979.
Griffen began his legal career as an associate at Wright, Lindsey & Jennings, LLP in Little Rock in 1979. He was named a partner in the firm in 1983 and remained in that capacity for two years. Then, in 1985, he was named chairman of the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission by former Governor Bill Clinton, a position he maintained until returning to private practice in 1987.
He is a past president of the Pulaski County Bar Association and the Judge William R. Overton Inn of Court and was a member of the Council for the American Bar Association Section of Science and Technology Law.
From a civic standpoint, Griffen has served as a pastor at New Millennium Church and Emmanuel Baptist Church of Little Rock. He was also Parliamentarian of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. and a trustee of the Pulaski Academy.
Griffen has authored articles on a range of topics, including racial diversity and inclusion, judicial accountability and discipline, and civility in legal litigation.
He served as an officer in the United States Army and is a graduate of the Department of Defense Race Relations Institute. While in the military, Griffen counseled mid-level military unit leaders and managers about cultural competency, cross-cultural relationships, conflict resolution, team-building, and morale. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his work as leader of the Race Relations/Equal Opportunity Office of the 43rd General Support Group at Fort Cason, Colorado (1976).