Meet Donald Clinebell, JD, PBK, CLM: Author, Speaker, Preacher, Coach


Donald Clinebell is a distinguished author, man of faith, man of service with a passion to help individuals embrace the power of service to make their lives and their organizations better.

He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Pomona College and UCLA School of Law. He is a former Deputy Attorney General for the State of California and currently serves “Of Counsel” to The Clinebell Law Firm which he founded. To learn more about The Clinebell Law Firm and what it does, click here

Donald is in great demand as a motivational and keynote speaker and coach — in the fields of service, servant leadership and the life-changing power of service in our lives.

Donald is a Certified Methodist Lay Minister & Preacher. He brings his preaching skill and inspiration to churches all over the U.S. and in Europe and Australia. He ministers to rave reviews, from congregants and pastors.

Donald is the founder of the highly acclaimed “7th Inning Stretch Middle School Mentoring & Tutoring Program” for kids at risk. Founded in 1995, the program has touched the lives of thousands of kids. “7th Inning” is a program that truly changes lives — the lives of the students, of the parents/caregivers, and the lives of the mentors and tutors.

The program has received multiple awards, including the California Golden Bell, a statewide award recognizing excellence in community-based school programs. To learn more about the program, click here.

Donald Clinebell Headshot

Donald is an award-winning author of three books, referred to as “The Service Driven Trilogy”: The Service Driven Life is written on a faith-based platform, and speaks to service as a major tenet in every major religion and every belief system of consequence; Extraordinary Living is about service on a values-based platform, rather than faith-based; and Donald’s latest book and workbook, The Service Driven Leader, applies in an inspirational yet practical way the power of service in leadership – Moving Your People and Your Bottom Line Forward.

Donald is a widely-respected thought leader on service leadership, especially in its application to businesses and organizations. His latest book has been called both “ground-breaking” and “empowering,” and is an Amazon bestseller.

Whether you approach being Service Driven from a faith-based or values-based perspective, you will discover that being Service Driven offers many personal and corporate benefits. Being Service Driven is about changing your thinking and, ultimately, your perception – and discovering purpose, meaning, joy, fulfillment, worthiness and true peace – in every part of your life!

Donald can help. Are you ready to seize this extraordinary opportunity?

Use the “Book Donald to Help With…” dropdown menu at the top of this screen to see how Donald can help you, your business/organization or your Rotary/Service Club.

After supper, the gloaming turned to dark and I read to Dad from a favorite daily reader. Sleep seemed next, and I prepared to depart for the night. But as I turned to go, Dad stirred and waved at me to return to his bedside. I sat.

He smiled at me and said this: “Donald, you must write that book.” He then turned upon his side and he slept – a sleep he would later describe as restful and peaceful. I left, and I too spent a restful and peaceful night.

That night was the beginning of my journey not just to write a book, but to dedicate my life to inspiring others to live a life that matters: A life of service.

How it all started:


My father, an ordained Methodist minister for nearly 60 years, was in the last year of his life. Parkinson’s Disease had taken down everything that he loved to do: preach, teach, write, speak. I sat by his bedside many nights during that time. I read to him from my favorite daily readers and devotionals, the Bible and sometimes from my father’s own books (he published 20 over the course of his life). Most nights, he listened, nodding in and out. This was precious time, and I knew it. One evening, I told my father about a book I felt called to write: A book about service in every part of our lives – service through neighbor, through vocation and through home and family.

My father listened attentively, nodding gently, but did not speak. As we finished supper, we sat together in the quiet.

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