An apparatus is provided which comprises: a clock node; a test node; an enable node; and an AND-OR-INVERT (AOI) static latch coupled to the clock node, test node, and enable node, wherein the AOI static latch has embedded NOR functionality. Another apparatus comprises: a critical timing path having a pass-gate based integrated clock gate; and a non-critical timing path electrically coupled to the critical timing path, wherein the non-critical timing path includes an AND-OR-Inverter (AOI) based integrated clock gate with embedded NOR functionality.