Robert Clifford Marks 50 Years in Law, Receives Jury Verdict Reporter Lifetime Achievement Award in Plaintiffs Litigation
Five decades of landmark litigation, public safety advocacy, and leadership in Chicago's legal community.
CHICAGO, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices, received the Jury Verdict Reporter's Lifetime Achievement Award for a Plaintiff Attorney on October 20, 2026, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of his admission to the Illinois bar. The recognition honors his trial advocacy, leadership in aviation litigation, and contributions to public safety and the legal profession. The milestone also comes amid the announcement that DePaul University has renamed its law school the Robert A. Clifford College of Law, recognizing a transformative gift from Clifford and his wife, Joan.
Once profiled by Illinois Super Lawyers® as "Chicago's Most-Feared Attorney," Clifford has built a reputation for challenging powerful corporate interests while earning the respect of colleagues and adversaries alike. The publication also described him as "a lamb who turns into a lion when he's confronted by injustice," capturing his tenacity in the courtroom and civility toward his peers.
A Chicago Lawyer, Through and Through
Clifford grew up on Chicago's South Side, where his father worked as a carpenter. At DePaul University College of Law, a lecture by legendary trial attorney Philip Corboy inspired him to represent people whose voices might otherwise go unheard. Clifford joined Corboy's firm as a law clerk in 1974, learning from the attorney who would help shape his approach to trial advocacy.
In 1984, Clifford established his own firm, which has since recovered more than $5 billion in verdicts and settlements across personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, transportation, and aviation litigation.
A hallmark of Clifford's practice has been the pursuit of changes to public policy and safety. In Chicago, he represented the family of a woman who died in a high-rise fire after emergency responders struggled to locate the building because of its vanity address. The litigation helped change the city's 911 emergency response system.
He later secured a $29.6 million verdict for violinist Rachel Barton, who was trapped and dragged by a Metra train. The case contributed to changes in commuter rail boarding procedures to prevent similar incidents.
Clifford also represented the family of three-year-old Elizabeth Grace "Lily" Shambrook, who was killed in 2022 after a utility truck blocked a designated bicycle lane in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. His advocacy brought attention to dangerous conditions for cyclists and the need for stronger protections, as the city adopted new requirements for bicycle lane closures and expanded enforcement against illegally parked vehicles.
In 2012, Chicago Lawyer named him "Person of the Year" for his advocacy for individuals and families and his influence on Chicago's legal community.
A National Legacy in Aviation Litigation
Few trial attorneys have been involved in as many major aviation cases as Robert Clifford. One of the nation's leading plaintiffs' aviation attorneys, Clifford has represented victims and families in every major commercial aviation disaster in the United States since 1979. His record includes a $28.3 million verdict for a survivor of United Airlines Flight 232 and a $110 million settlement for families in the American Eagle Flight 4184 litigation, which also resulted in an unprecedented apology in open court.
Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, Clifford served as lead negotiator in the $1.2 billion settlement of property damage claims arising from the World Trade Center collapse. He has served as lead counsel in numerous major aviation disaster cases, including the federal litigation involving the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX8 crash. The litigation exposed serious failures in Boeing's aircraft design and safety practices, intensifying scrutiny of the manufacturer and its oversight as regulators imposed sweeping changes to the 737 MAX's flight control systems and pilot training requirements.
He currently represents families affected by the January 2025 midair collision over the Potomac River and the November 2025 UPS cargo aircraft crash in Louisville, Kentucky.
His courtroom record has earned national recognition, including the National Law Journal Lifetime Achievement Award, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Leonard Ring Lifetime Achievement Award, the Public Justice Trial Lawyer of the Year Award, induction into the Lawdragon Hall of Fame, and inclusion in Forbes' America's Top 200 Lawyers. He also has been ranked the No. 1 attorney in Illinois by Super Lawyers® for a record 14 years.
A Champion for the Legal Profession
Clifford has held leadership positions across the legal profession, serving as president of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the Chicago Inn of Court, and as chair of the American Bar Association's Section of Litigation and Fund for Justice and Education. A Fellow of the invitation-only American College of Trial Lawyers since 1994, he is also a member of the American Law Institute and the Inner Circle of Advocates, and serves on the Board of Advisors of the RAND Institute for Civil Justice.
Clifford's commitment to legal education spans generations of law students, scholars, and practicing attorneys. The gift supporting DePaul's newly named Robert A. Clifford College of Law will expand scholarships and faculty fellowships and establish the Robert A. Clifford Trial Advocacy, Litigation, and Negotiation Center. In 1994, he endowed the Chair in Tort Law and Social Policy at DePaul University College of Law, establishing the annual Clifford Symposium, whose scholarship has been cited in state and federal judicial opinions, including by the United States Supreme Court. His firm also has provided free continuing legal education to attorneys through an annual program that will mark its 20th year in 2027 with "The Seven Deadly Sins of Legal Ethics."
Clifford's community involvement includes support for WTTW and WFMT, service on WTTW's Board of Trustees, and scholarships at his alma mater, Marist High School. He also helped establish the Chicago Bar Foundation's Investing in Justice campaign, which supports legal aid organizations providing representation to those who cannot afford it.
Reflecting on his 50 years in law, Clifford said:
"I've had the privilege of representing families who trusted me during the most difficult moments of their lives, and I've never taken that responsibility lightly. The verdicts and settlements matter, but more importantly, so does knowing that our work has made a difference in people's lives and helped make the world a little safer."
About Clifford Law Offices
Clifford Law Offices is Chicago's premier personal injury law firm, known for Righting the Heaviest Wrongs® since 1984. The firm's attorneys have recovered more than $5 billion in verdicts and settlements, including record-breaking results in aviation disasters, medical malpractice, and serious truck accidents. Recognized nationally for trial excellence and regularly ranked among Chicago's top law firms, Clifford Law Offices combines exceptional courtroom skill, extensive resources, and unwavering dedication to restore lives, protect futures, and hold wrongdoers accountable when the stakes are highest. https://www.cliffordlaw.com
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