Robert A. "Bob" Clifford

Robert A. Clifford is founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, Chicago’s premier personal injury law firm, recognized globally for its depth of talent, record results, and decades of experience in handling complex personal injury and wrongful death litigation. Under Clifford’s leadership, the firm has significantly impacted the lives of individual clients and their families, recovering over $5 billion in judgments and settlements for victims suffering from catastrophic injuries or the loss of a loved one due to the negligence or wrongful conduct of others.

Mr. Clifford is widely recognized as a global leader in aviation litigation, having represented victims and their families in nearly every major commercial U.S. airline crash since 1979. His involvement in the litigation of cases stemming from major historical events, including the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, demonstrates his international reputation. Mr. Clifford currently serves as Lead Counsel in the ongoing litigation in Chicago federal court for families of the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX-8 crash victims, which resulted in 157 deaths across 35 countries. He currently represents several families who lost loved ones in the January 2025 midair collision involving an American Airlines aircraft and a U.S. military helicopter over the Potomac River.

One of Mr. Clifford’s most notable cases is the $29.6 million verdict he secured for Rachel Barton, an internationally acclaimed violinist who was severely injured by a Metra train. He was the lead negotiator in the $1.2 billion settlement of multiple 9/11 property damage claims following the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York. In another high-profile case that received the Trial Lawyer Excellence recognition by the Jury Verdict Reporter, Mr. Clifford was part of the team that secured a $35 million verdict on behalf of a woman who was dragged by a truck. He also served as lead counsel in a trial against Yellow Cab that resulted in a $25.9 million verdict for a lawyer injured in the back seat when the van crashed into a concrete barrier.

The recipient of numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, Mr. Clifford has been included in The Best Lawyers in America® since its inception in 1983. He has been listed as the top lawyer in the Chicago metropolitan area in specific practice areas ranging from medical malpractice and transportation claims to aviation and mass torts/class actions. Furthermore, Mr. Clifford has been recognized by Best Lawyers® as a “Lawyer of the Year” award winner in Chicago across six years and multiple practice areas.

Other notable recognitions include Mr. Clifford’s selection to Super Lawyers®, a peer-review organization, as the number one lawyer in Illinois for over 10 years, including 2025. In 2025, he was selected for inclusion in Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys. In 2024, he was named to Forbes’ America’s Top 200 Lawyers list, as one of eight attorneys concentrating in personal injury law, and the only attorney listed in Illinois. He was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by The National Law Journal. His other career achievements include induction into the Lawdragon Hall of Fame, receiving the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Leonard Ring Lifetime Achievement Award, the Judge Joel Flaum Award from the Chicago Inn of Court, the Champion of Justice Award from the Chicago Bar Association, and the Unity Award from the Diversity Scholarship Foundation. In 2020, The National Law Journal named Clifford Law Offices one of the 50 Elite Law Firms in the country, the only firm in Chicago to receive this distinction.

These accolades not only reflect Mr. Clifford’s success in litigation but also his commitment to advancing the legal profession. He has been actively involved in and served in leadership roles in numerous legal organizations, including the American Bar Association (Chair of the Section of Litigation and Chair of the ABA’s charitable arm, the Fund for Justice and Education), Chicago Bar Association (President), Chicago Inn of Court (President), and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (President). He is also a member of the American Law Institute, the Inner Circle of Advocates, and serves on the Board of Directors for the RAND Institute for Civil Justice. Since 1994, Mr. Clifford has been a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only Fellowship of exceptional trial lawyers from the United States and Canada.

The foundation of Mr. Clifford’s success is rooted in his strong dedication to clients and the culture of continuous learning he has cultivated within his firm and the legal community. For nearly 20 years, Clifford Law Offices has sponsored an annual continuing legal education program to encourage innovative thinking within the legal profession and provide the next generation of lawyers and litigators opportunities for practical education and contemporary experience. Additionally, Mr. Clifford has sponsored the DePaul University College of Law Annual Clifford Symposium on Tort Law and Social Policy for 31 years. This symposium brings together global leaders and scholars on various tort law issues affecting consumers, providing accessible continuing legal education to practicing attorneys, law students, and other legal professionals.

Mr. Clifford upholds strong personal and professional values in law, ethics, philanthropy, and public service, demonstrating civic responsibility, outreach, and philanthropic efforts through his ongoing support of local communities, numerous regional and national educational and cultural organizations, as well as the charitable and educational divisions of hospitals and legal associations