Community Involvement

In June 2026, Sarah F. King, partner at Clifford Law Offices, was elected to a two-year term serving on the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) Board of Managers. Known for representing individuals and families in complex medical malpractice litigation, where she has secured numerous record-setting verdicts and settlements, Sarah King has built a career that combines staunch courtroom advocacy with dedicated service to the legal profession. In addition to her litigation practice, she is the immediate…

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham was awarded the 2026 Robert A. Clifford Champion of Justice Award on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) Annual Meeting in Chicago. Justice Cunningham was presented the award by outgoing CBA President Judge Nichole C. Patton of the Cook County Circuit Court. The award, which Judge Patton said is the highest award bestowed by the CBA, was initiated in 2024 by Bob Clifford, founder…

Juan R. Thomas, Of Counsel at Clifford Law Offices, was sworn in as President of the Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF) during the Illinois State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting on June 11, 2026, in St. Louis. In assuming the presidency, he becomes the second African American lawyer to serve as President of the organization since its founding in 1951. A nationally recognized attorney and civic leader, Juan Thomas has dedicated his career to advancing justice, public…

Attorneys from Clifford Law Offices served as judges and trial coaches at the American Association of Justice (AAJ) Student Trial Advocacy Competition (STAC), held March 5–8 at the Richard J. Daley Center in Chicago. Partners Bradley M. Cosgrove, Keith A. Hebeisen, Charles R. Haskins, David F. Jasinski, Thomas J. Tomasik, Joseph T. Murphy, Gregory M. Beck, and Scott J. Kater, along with associates Nicholas T. Motherway, Devin J. Piper, and Matthew M. Moyer contributed their…

The 32nd annual Clifford Tort Symposium, “Civil Justice and the Challenge of Climate Change,” will be held as a hybrid program at DePaul University College of Law on May 28-29, 2026. With more than 25 scholars in attendance, this two-day program will examine a variety of ways to use the legal system as a part of the process of responding to climate dangers. Topics such as “Liability for Failure to Forecast,” “Rethinking the Federal Role…

Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, along with partners Kevin P. Durkin and John V. Kalantzis, will be speaking at the Chicago Bar Association’s continuing legal education (CLE) trip to Greece taking place April 27-May 3, 2026. Titled “A Comparison of Civil and Criminal Trials in the U.S. and Greece,” the program of Illinois and Greek lawyers spans two half-days and offers six hours of CLE credit. Speakers include Cook…

The 2026 annual Robert A. Clifford Scholar-in-Residence program will feature Professor Richard Lorren Jolly of Southwestern Law School, who will discuss “The Democratic Virtues of the Civil Jury” on April 16, 2026. Jolly will present his ongoing project examining the jury as a site of democratic participation at a time when other institutions are faltering. His talk will consider what it would mean to take the civil jury seriously as a democratic institution, and what…

Sarah F. King, partner at Clifford Law Offices, spoke at the 2026 American Association for Justice Winter Convention in San Diego, California, on February 22, 2026. A nationally recognized medical malpractice trial attorney, Sarah presented on “Cross Examination of a Medical Expert” as part of the Advocacy Track: Cross Examination College – Important Tips and Demonstrations CLE Program sponsored by Advocate Capital, Inc. Her session took place from 11:05 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. in Southpointe…

Erin Clifford, Partner and Managing Director of Clifford Law Offices, spoke to a packed room of law students and lawyers as part of the inaugural First Generation Mentorship Kickoff Reception sponsored by the Diversity Scholarship Foundation on November 6. “Top 10 Strategies for the Legal Profession to Reimagine Wellness” was the title of her talk held at Hinshaw & Culbertson, which provided practical strategies to support mental health, balance, and resilience while shaping a healthier…