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    Susan A. Capra

    Partner
    Susan A. Capra
    About Susan

    ATTORNEY FOR MEDICAL/HOSPITAL NEGLIGENCE

    Susan Capra is a partner at Clifford Law Offices, one of Chicago’s premier law firms, serving clients nationally and internationally for decades. Susan concentrates her practice in the area of medical and hospital negligence litigation where she has achieved numerous record settlements and verdicts in her 30-plus years as a highly respected attorney in Chicago, particularly in the health care arena.

    Susan joined Clifford Law Offices as an associate in 1989, becoming partner after 10 years. She graduated from DePaul University with a nursing degree in 1982.  Susan first was a nurse at Children’s Memorial Hospital (now called Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago). She worked largely with infants and children with serious neurological conditions and disabilities. During her last two years as a full-time nurse, she worked in the operating room. Her nursing background has been a tremendous asset in her work as a medical negligence attorney. Susan sums it up appropriately, “As a nurse, I was the patient’s advocate. As a medical malpractice attorney, I am still the patient’s advocate but in a different arena and profession.”

    ​Susan graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 1990 with Honors. Since joining Clifford Law Offices, Susan handles all types of medical negligence cases but concentrates on cases involving obstetrical, gynecologic and pediatric negligence. Some of her career highlights include an $11 million settlement involving a hospital pharmacy that mixed an intravenous solution with excessive amounts of glucose, which was given to a premature newborn who then sustained severe and permanent brain damage as a result and a $10 million settlement on behalf of a mother whose infant suffered severe and permanent brain damage due to negligent obstetrical treatment rendered at a Chicago hospital. In the last decade alone, Susan has worked on more than two dozen complex obstetrical and gynecological cases, 15 of which have resulted in settlements and verdicts of more than one million dollars and 10 have resulted in settlements and verdicts of more than five million dollars.

    ​Susan is involved in the legal community. She is a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. She has lectured on various topics involving medical negligence. She has authored articles ranging from the future of hospital peer review to the use of expert witnesses in medical negligence cases.

    Over the years, Susan has been recognized as an Illinois Leading Lawyer by Law Bulletin Media (2005 – present), selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers® list (2005 to present), has an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, and was part of the list of Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago by Crain’s Custom Media (2017). Most recently in 2020, she was named by Crain’s Chicago Business on a list of Notable Women in Law in Chicago.

    ​Susan is a lifelong Chicago resident. She is actively involved in her community and volunteers every weekend with various organizations serving senior citizens, the military and their families, and underprivileged children.

    Areas of Practice
    • Medical and Hospital Negligence
    • Personal Injury
    • Wrongful Death
    Bar Admissions
    • Illinois, 1990
    • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1990
    • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1990
    Education
    • DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
      • J.D. – 1990
      • Honors: With Honors
      • Law Review: DePaul Law Review, Staff Member, 1988 – 1990
    • De Paul University, Chicago, Illinois
      • B.S.N., Bachelor of Science in Nursing – 1982
      • Honors: Sigma Theta Tau, Member
    Published Works
    • “The Evaluation of a Medical Negligence Case,” Woman Attorney, July/August, 1999
    • “Expert Witnesses,” Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Medical Malpractice Trial Notebook, 1990, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999
    • “Cocaine Babies: Meeting the Challenge,” Illinois Bar Journal, Volume 80, 1992
    • “Settlement/Empty Chair Defenses,” Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Medical Malpractice Trial Notebook, 1990
    • “Settlement/Empty Chair Defenses,” Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Medical Malpractice Trial Notebook, 1990
    • “Patrick v. Burget: The Future of Hospital Peer Review in the Antitrust Arena,” DePaul Law Review, Volume 39, 1989
    Classes/Seminars
    • “From a Nurse-Lawyer Perspective: Legal Nurse Case Studies”, Emergency Nurses Association, April 12, 2012
    • “Motions to Compel & Protective Orders,” Illinois State Bar Association, December 2, 2011
    • “Evaluating a Medical Negligence Case,” Loyola University Law School, Chicago, February 27, 2001
    • “Deposition Strategies,” Chicago Bar Association, December 12, 2000
    • “Nursing Negligence,” American Academy of Pediatrics Annual Meeting, Chicago, October 27, 2000
    • “Venue-Forum Non Conveniens,” Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, September 9, 2000
    • Adjunct Faculty, De Paul University College of Law, Medical Malpractice Course, 1999 – 2001
    • “Deposition Strategies in Medical Negligence Cases,” Chicago Bar Association, December 7, 1999
    • “Analyzing Medical Records for the Illinois Paralegal,” Institute for Paralegal Education, Willowbrook, Illinois, October 19, 1999
    • “Deposing the Defendant Physician in a Medical Malpractice Case,” Chicago Bar Association, December, 1997
    • “Analyzing Medical Records for the Illinois Paralegal,” Institute for Paralegal , Education, Willowbrook, Illinois, November 11, 1997
    Honors and Awards
    • Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Women in the Law, 2024
    • Best Lawyers® in America, 2021 – Present
    • Selected to Illinois Super Lawyers® list, 2005 – Present
    • Illinois Leading Lawyer, Law Bulletin Media, 2005 – Present
    • AV rating by Martinadale-Hubbell
    • Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago, Crain’s Custom Media, 2017
    Professional Associations and Memberships
    • Class Agent for Class of 1990, DePaul University College of Law, 2000
    • College of Law Alumni Board of Directors, DePaul University, Member, 1999
    • Medical Negligence Committee of ITLA, Member, 1998 – Present
    • American Association for Justice (AAJ), Birth Trauma Litigation Group
    • American Association for Justice (AAJ), Medical Negligence Information Exchange Group
    • American Association for Justice (AAJ), Expert Witness Information Exchange Group
    • American Bar Association (ABA)
    • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA)
    Teaching
    • Adjunct Faculty, DePaul University College of Law, Medical Malpractice Course (Fall 2001, Fall 2000, Fall 1999)
    Past Employment Positions
    • Clifford Law Offices, P.C., Partner, January 1, 2000 – Present
    • Clifford Law Offices, P.C., Associate, February 1, 1995 – January 1, 2000
    • Corboy Demetrio Clifford Chicago, Illinois, Associate, February 1, 1994 – February 1, 1995
    • Robert A. Clifford and Associates, P.C., Associate, 1990 – 1994
    • Robert A. Clifford and Associates, P.C., Law Clerk, 1989 – 1990
    Susan A. Capra
    About Susan
    Awards and Recognition
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