Robert Clifford

Robert A. Clifford is the 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 complex personal injury and wrongful death case litigation.

Widely regarded as a global leader in aviation litigation, Mr. Clifford has represented families in every domestic commercial 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 unprecedented international reputation. Mr. Clifford currently serves as Lead Counsel in the ongoing federal litigation for families of the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX-8 crash victims that took 157 lives from 35 countries.

Together, the Clifford Law Offices aviation practice group is highly respected for its excellence in handling high-profile catastrophic events, often obtaining record results, influencing public policy changes, and safeguarding the rights of individuals, families, and the flying public through strategic legal action.

Among his many accolades, Mr. Clifford has been ranked the #1 lawyer in the state of Illinois by Super Lawyers® in 2026, a title he has held for a record 13 years. That same year, he was also selected for inclusion in Crain's Chicago Business Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys. Honorees are selected through a peer nomination and editorial review process, and recognizes outstanding litigators and trial attorneys for their remarkable achievements over the past 18 months. In 2024, he was named to Forbes' America's Top 200 Lawyers list and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by The National Law Journal.

Clifford Law Offices has been routinely ranked as one of the top law firms in Chicago, ranked nationally and locally on Best Law Firms® in several practice areas, including aviation, and called one of the "50 Elite Firms in the Country" by the National Law Journal. Under Mr. Clifford's leadership, his firm has made an immeasurable impact on the lives of individual clients and their families, recovering more than $5 billion in judgments and settlements for victims and families struggling with the burdens and injustices of major injuries or the loss of a loved one due to the wrongful conduct of others.