About Robert A. Clifford

Robert A. Clifford is the founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices, widely recognized as Chicago’s premier personal injury law firm. With more than four decades of groundbreaking litigation, Mr. Clifford has built an international reputation as one of the world’s leading trial lawyers. Under his leadership, the firm has secured more than $5 billion in verdicts and settlements for victims of catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and corporate negligence.

A global authority in aviation litigation, Mr. Clifford has represented families in every major U.S. commercial airline crash since 1979, including cases stemming from historic events such as the September 11 terrorist attacks. He currently serves as Lead Counsel in the multidistrict litigation for families of the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX-8 crash, which claimed 157 lives across 35 countries.

Leadership & Recognition

Mr. Clifford’s work has not only influenced the outcome of landmark cases but has also shaped public policy and advanced aviation and consumer safety standards worldwide. He has been named the #1 lawyer in Illinois by Super Lawyers® a record twelve times, including in 2025. His accolades include:

• Forbes – America’s Top 200 Lawyers (2024)
• The National Law Journal – Lifetime Achievement Award (2024)
• Crain’s Chicago Business – Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys (2025)
• Lawdragon – 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers and Global Plaintiff List (multiple years)
• Best Lawyers® in America – Recognized annually since 1993

Under his guidance, Clifford Law Offices has been named one of the “50 Elite Firms in the Country” by the National Law Journal and consistently ranked in Best Law Firms® nationally and in Chicago across multiple practice areas.

Professional Involvement

Mr. Clifford has served in numerous high-level positions within the legal profession, including as Chair of the ABA Section of Litigation and as President of the Chicago Bar Association. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an exclusive group limited to the top 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in the United States.

Education & Admissions

• DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1976 (Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 2003)
• DePaul University College of Commerce, B.A., 1973
• Admitted to practice in Illinois (1976), U.S. District Courts (Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of Illinois), and the U.S. Supreme Court

Experience

Before founding Clifford Law Offices, Mr. Clifford practiced with Philip H. Corboy & Associates and later Corboy & Demetrio, building a foundation as a trial lawyer on some of the nation’s most complex cases. Since establishing Clifford Law Offices, he has expanded the firm into a powerhouse for high-stakes litigation, assembling a team recognized worldwide for excellence in plaintiff advocacy.

Firm

Clifford Law Offices, Chicago, Illinois

120 North LaSalle Street, 36th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60602