Robert A. Clifford Installed As CBA President

CHICAGO, ILL. (June 16, 2011)— Renowned Chicago personal injury lawyer Robert A. Clifford, founder and principal, Clifford Law Offices, was installed as the 135th President of The Chicago Bar Association (CBA) at its annual luncheon meeting Thursday, June 16, 2011 at the Standard Club, Chicago. He will serve a one-year term.

In her remarks from the podium, outgoing CBA President Terri L. Mascherin said,  “I know that as he steps into the office of President, Bob will be devoted to the Bar Association and all its members -- attorneys, judges and law students.

“He and I have worked together on the Board for several years and I know personally how strongly he believes in the mission of this Association and the profession’s obligations to serve the public. I know he will have a very successful year as President,” she said.

In her presidential year, Mascherin highlighted two areas: professionalism and service. She continued the tradition of appearing as host of The CBA’s television show “Justice and Law Weekly” on WYCC TV 20. Her term also saw the expansion of CLE offerings through webcast and other electronic formats in the CBA’s Media Center located at www.chicagobar.org and the continuation of outreach to other bar associations nationally and internationally, expanding the influence of the CBA.

About Robert A. Clifford

Robert Clifford is one of the best known and most widely sought after plaintiff’s lawyers in the country. He is the principal partner of Clifford Law Offices, which concentrates in aviation, transportation, personal injury, medical negligence and product liability law. Corporate Legal Times selected him as one of the "five most respected and feared plaintiffs' attorneys in the country” in 2004, calling him "the best of the bad."  He was also featured on the covers of the inaugural 2005 issue of Illinois Super Lawyers, and the 2009 Leading Lawyers' Consumer Edition. In 1993, the prestigious National Law Journal named Clifford one of the top 10 plaintiffs’ lawyers in the nation.

Best Lawyers in America named him  “Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year” (2010) and “Chicago Personal Injury Litigator of the Year” in 2009.

He has been the subject of profiles in several legal and general interest publications including Illinois Leading Lawyers, Best Lawyers and Chicago Magazine. The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin Publishing Company named him one of the “Top 10 Attorneys who Raised the Bar Over the Last Decade” in Chicago, while American Lawyer Media recognized him as one of the “Top Ten Most Influential Lawyers in Illinois in 2000.”

He is a member of several of the most prestigious national and international legal organizations including the International Society of Barristers, The Inner Circle of Advocates, the American Law Institute, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the National Judicial College.

He was elected to a second term in 2008 as the Illinois State Delegate to the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association and has served as President of both the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Chicago Inn of Court.

He was selected to advise the Rand Institute for Civil Justice, a California-based think tank, on the investigation process of the National Transportation Safety Board and serves on the Rand Institute's Board of Overseers. He was appointed a member of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Civility, and was elected a trustee of the United States Supreme Court Historical Society.

A graduate of the De Paul University College of Law, Clifford has endowed the first Chair on Tort Law and Social Policy at his alma mater. This gift provides an annual symposium where academicians, lawyers and judges from across the country gather to discuss issues regarding the relationship between tort law, popular culture and societal needs. He also serves on the Board of Directors of WTTW, Chicago's public television station, where Clifford Law Offices sponsors closed captioning for the hearing impaired.

Other CBA Officers and Board Members

Other 2011-2012 officers are: 1st Vice President Aurora N. Abella-Austriaco, Austriaco & Associates Ltd.; 2^nd Vice President J. Timothy Eaton, Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.; Secretary Patricia Brown Holmes, Schiff Hardin LLP; and Treasurer Daniel A. Cotter, Korey Cotter Heather & Richardson LLC.

Incoming members of the Board of Managers serving two-year terms will also take office at the annual meeting. They are Maryam Ahmad, City of Chicago Department of Human Resources; Alison C. Conlon,

Barnes & Thornburg LLP; James B. Durkin, Arnstein Lehr LLP: G. A. Finch, Hoogendorn and 

Talbot LLP; Justin L. Heather, Korey Cotter Heather & Richardson LLC; Scott W. Henry, Segal

McCambridge Singer & Mahoney Ltd.; Judge Mary K. Rochford, Illinois Appellate Court; Karen G.

Seimetz, General Counsel, Chicago Transit Authority; and Howard S. Suskin, Jenner & Block LLP.

They will join Board members Steven M. Elrod, Holland & Knight LLP; Judge James P. Flannery, Jr.,

Circuit Court of Cook County, Law Division; Claireen L. Herting, Specialized Tax Consulting, Ltd.;

Judge James F. Holderman, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; Daniel A. Kirk, Chief

of Staff, Cook County States Attorney’s Office; Timothy E. Moran, Schmidt Salzman & Moran Ltd.;

Larry R. Rogers Sr., Power Rogers & Smith PC; and Michael P. Rohan, McDonald & McCabe LLC.

Completing their terms of service on the Board are: Anita M. Alvarez, Cook County State’s Attorney;  Mary Beth Cyze, Assistant Corporation Counsel for the Village of Wilmette; Carrie J. Di Santo, Aon Corporation; Hon. Margaret O’Mara Frossard, Circuit Court of Cook County; Daniel M. Kotin, Corboy & Demetrio; Barry Kozak, John Marshall Law School; Jill Eckert McCall, American Bar Association’s Center for Continuing Legal Education; William B. Oberts, Tribler Orpett & Meyer P.C.; Timothy Ray, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP; Jesse H. Ruiz, Drinker Biddle & Reath.

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