Clifford Law Offices announces the addition of accomplished trial lawyer and former Illinois Appellate Court Justice Terrence J. Lavin as Of Counsel. With nearly three decades of experience in complex civil litigation and 16 years on the Illinois Appellate Court, Lavin brings a distinguished career spanning high-stakes trial advocacy, appellate decision-making, legal scholarship, and leadership within the legal profession. His arrival further strengthens the firm’s nationally recognized commitment to Righting the Heaviest Wrongs® for individuals and families facing catastrophic injury and wrongful death.
Terrence Lavin served as a justice of the Illinois Appellate Court from 2010 to 2026, authoring more than 1,000 published opinions and orders that helped shape Illinois law. Before joining the bench, he earned a national reputation as a trial lawyer handling complex litigation in personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, transportation, and aviation. He played a central role in litigation arising from the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 at O’Hare International Airport and secured numerous significant verdicts throughout his career, including a $32.7 million verdict in a railroad crossing injury case and an $18.5 million medical malpractice verdict involving a stroke misdiagnosis.
Throughout his career, Lavin practiced with several prominent Chicago law firms, including Corboy & Demetrio, Power Rogers & Lavin, and Lavin Law Offices. His experience as both a trial attorney and appellate justice provides a unique perspective on litigation strategy, case development, evidentiary issues, and appellate review. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, invitation-only organizations recognizing distinguished trial lawyers and judges. He has also served as president of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Society of Trial Lawyers and has held leadership positions with numerous state and national legal organizations.
A lifelong Chicagoan, Lavin earned his Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Illinois in 1977 and his Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1983. He later returned to Chicago-Kent as an adjunct professor, teaching legal writing and medical malpractice courses while mentoring future generations of attorneys. In 2021, he was named Judge of the Year by the Illinois Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He is admitted to practice before the Illinois Supreme Court, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar.
For further information, contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (Cell) or pammenaker@cliffordlaw.com.