Forty Under Forty

Age: 30

Michael S. Krzak practices personal injury law at the Clifford Law Offices in Chicago. He is one of two honorees from this reputable personal injury plaintiff’s law firm. He started at the firm as a clerk and began as an associate attorney immediately upon his successful completion of his law studies. At only 30 years old, Mike is one of the youngest honorees in this year’s publication. One of his nominators who has been an opposing counsel on the defense side of tort issues said of Mike, "He has demonstrated to me his integrity and sense of fair. Michael is surely an aggressive litigator who strives to provide his client with the best possible representation, but never loses sight of the fact that civility in the practice of law is important in developing the long-term relationships which serve not only his current client but future clients as well. I have learned that Michael is a lawyer who understands the meaning of honor and who can always be trusted. From my client’s perspective I would prefer that Michael not be my opposing counsel. From my perspective, I look forward to our next encounter. I know it will be both challenging and professional." Another nominator who has served as co-counsel with him, "Mike shows a high level of sensitivity, tact and patience when dealing with even the most difficult situation or individual." Yet another opposing counsel said, "At Mike’s youthful age he has developed the knowledge and experience to handle all aspects of a tough case. He used his litigation skills to transform a tough "fall down" case into one that his client ultimately was able to achieve a satisfactory settlement. Overall, Mike’s litigation skills are far beyond what one would expect of a 30 year old attorney."

Mike has second-chaired several trials, each resulting in successful verdicts for Clifford Law Offices clients. One of his most recent achievements involved a $2.583 million verdict, setting a new legal record in the state for a woman who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder witnessing the death of her best friend in an auto accident. He also was a key person in obtaining a $1.8 million settlement for a construction worker who fractured his hip and vertebra after falling off an unguarded bridge. He was also part of the Clifford Law Office team that worked on the Rachel Barton trial. He is currently handling a highly publicized case of a mother who lost her daughter in a tragic New Year’s Eve shooting as well as the cases of two unrelated train accidents where two motorists were killed at two different locations on the same day in Downer’s Grove, Illinois.