Erin highlights the unique challenges attorneys face, including long hours and high-pressure decisions, and presents practical steps to help them thrive in both their personal and professional lives.

“Just as physical spaces may be neglected and become entangled with the messiness of life during the coldest months, so does the space within our mind, body, and spirit.”
-Erin Clifford

Here are the six well-being strategies Erin outlines in her ABA article:

1. Clear Space Within – Erin emphasizes the importance of releasing negative emotions that can cloud the mind and body. Through reflection and creating a “burn” list, she encourages lawyers to let go of what is holding them back mentally.
2. Clear External Spaces – Clutter can be overwhelming, so Erin suggests decluttering physical environments to improve mental clarity. She provides a simple step-by-step approach to tidying up, which can help boost both mental and physical health.
3. Clear Your Mind – Erin stresses the benefits of maintaining a clear mind through mindfulness practices like meditation, gratitude, digital detoxes, and regular exercise. These activities can help reduce anxiety and increase creative thinking.
4. Take Time for Self-Care – Self-care is essential for well-being, and Erin encourages attorneys to find activities, big or small, that bring them joy. She notes that consistent self-care can help reduce anxiety, improve concentration, and increase happiness.
5. Connect – Staying connected with loved ones is crucial. Erin reminds lawyers to nurture their relationships, whether through a text, a coffee date, or a weekend meet-up, to boost feelings of belonging and well-being.
6. Give Yourself Grace – Finally, Erin urges attorneys to practice self-compassion. By recognizing and honoring personal limits, they can reduce stress and cultivate a more positive mindset.

“Giving yourself grace means acknowledging when things are hard and understanding that we may not have a solution. When we recognize, accept, and honor our limits, we will reduce feelings of anger, stress, regret, or resentment.”

Erin’s article serves as a valuable reminder for legal professionals to prioritize their well-being, not just during springtime but year-round. With these strategies, attorneys can step into a new season feeling refreshed, focused, and ready to take on the demands of their profession with renewed energy.

Read the full Litigation News article here. To learn more about Erin Clifford and her work in legal wellness, visit her Erin Clifford Wellness and Healthy Lawyers websites.

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“Guardrails are essential for safety on the nation’s roads, but if not properly designed, constructed, installed, and maintained, they can pose great risks. There have been more than 100,000 fatalities each year involving run-off-the-road crashes involving infrastructure elements such as barriers.”
-Robert A. Clifford, Founder and Senior Partner at Clifford Law Offices

A renowned Chicago personal injury and catastrophic accident attorney, Bob Clifford references a study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, which found that current steel guardrails are not designed to withstand the increased weight of EVs. In crash tests, heavier EVs like the Rivian R1T truck and Tesla Model 3 either tore through or lifted the guardrails, raising major safety concerns.

“The heavier EVs are not just a concern for guardrail safety. Aging roads, bridges, parking infrastructures, braking performance, and other weight issues are impacted as more EVs hit the roads.”
-Robert A. Clifford

The article calls for collaboration among safety experts and government agencies to update roadside barriers and implement stronger safety measures, such as adjusting speed limits and improving guardrail designs to accommodate a wide range of vehicles.

Click here to read more about this growing public safety concern.

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The following Clifford Law Offices women attorneys were selected for the 2024 Best Lawyers Women in the Law list, honoring their excellence in their respective practice areas:

• • Tracy A. Brammeier, Partner
    • Aviation Law
    • Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs
    • Product Liability Litigation, Plaintiffs
  • Susan A. Capra, Partner
    • Medical Malpractice Law, Plaintiffs
    • Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs
    • Product Liability Litigation, Plaintiffs
  • Marta K. Davidson, Associate
    • Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs
    • Product Liability Litigation, Plaintiffs
  • Sarah F. King, Partner
    • Medical Malpractice Law, Plaintiffs
    • Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs
    • Product Liability Litigation, Plaintiffs
  • Yvette C. Loizon, Partner
    • Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs
  • Shannon M. McNulty, Partner
    • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions, Plaintiffs
    • Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs
    • Product Liability Litigation, Plaintiffs

“This is a well-deserved honor for the exceptional women attorneys who demonstrate unwavering commitment to our clients, the community, and our firm. They are exemplary leaders who are determined to make the world a better place for everyone through the pursuit of justice.”
-Robert A. Clifford, Founder and Senior Partner, Clifford Law Offices

The Best Lawyers Women in the Law list categorizes lawyers by their geographic region and area of practice. Nominations are assessed by peers based on their expertise and are verified to ensure they are actively practicing and in good standing. Best Lawyers is widely acknowledged as an authoritative resource for outstanding legal professionals, featuring distinguished attorneys and firms across over 75 countries.

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NEC is an intestinal disorder causing intestinal inflammation that may cause holes in the intestine. Bacteria from the intestine can leak into the abdomen or blood, causing serious illness or deadly blood infections.

These newborn NEC formula lawsuits generally allege that the makers of these formulas knew of the risk of NEC and did nothing to warn families and continued to market them as safe.

Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, authored an informative column on the pending cases in federal district court.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October announced it had adopted guidelines in response to the massive baby formula recall and shortage in 2022 linked to a deadly pathogen. Authorities say new federal guidelines aimed at strengthening oversight and regulation of the U.S. powdered infant formula market are making an impact. In August 2023, the FDA issued letters of warning to three infant formula manufacturers as part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to enhance regulatory oversight to ensure the industry is producing infant formula under the safest conditions possible.”

Read more about this serious issue in Clifford’s latest column in the Chicago Lawyer, “Taking Shape.”

The post Bob Clifford Authors Article About Numerous Toxic Baby Formula Cases in Illinois appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

In conjunction with the celebration, the June 2024 issue of the Chicago Bar Association Record encapsulates the modern history and dynamic growth of the CBA throughout the twenty-first century. Clifford Law Offices partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker authored an article for this issue titled “CBA 150th Anniversary Celebration: Into the 21st Century, 1999-2024,” which highlights prominent members including Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, and Past President of the CBA (2011-2012), and Kevin Durkin, partner at the firm as well as Past President of the CBA (2006-2007). Clifford was the inaugural recipient of the CBA’s Robert A. Clifford Champion of Justice Award for his lifelong commitment to the profession and dedication to the CBA, presented at the Association’s celebration on May 10th.

Pam applauded the Association for its ability to adapt to societal and economic changes over the past 25 years, detailing the development of unique programs and events, educational partnerships, as well as historic events such as the September 11 terrorist attacks and the COVID epidemic.

“The Association has demonstrated its commitment and capability to stay relevant throughout its 150-year history by supporting lawyers as individuals, by advancing law as a profession, and by serving communities and society as a whole, no matter what the challenges.”

The full article can be read here.

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Erin holds her J.D. and is a National Certified Counselor with a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University. In this role, she brings her expertise in health and well-being and her passion for helping lawyers develop happier, healthier lifestyles. As part of the legal community, Erin personally understands how important a healthy lifestyle is in such a demanding and stressful profession.

“I strive to provide lawyers with realistic, sustainable strategies that can be easily implemented in their busy lives to create lasting benefits for their mental health and relationships while building a fulfilling career.”
-Erin Clifford

Join Erin on Thursday, June 13, 2024, as she leads a free one-hour continuing legal education (CLE) webinar for lawyer well-being titled, “Working Wellness: Healthy Solutions for Lawyer Well-Being.” Sponsored by Clifford Law Offices, the free program offers CLE credit to attorneys and legal professionals across four states.

The post Erin Clifford Joins ABA Litigation News Board as Health and Wellness Columnist appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

“AI apparently is revolutionizing the legal profession by providing tools that assist lawyers in research, drafting, and decision-making. The sophisticated data mining already is used by consultants in the jury selection process, but does that consider life’s experiences, attitudes, and beliefs?”
– Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices

Mr. Clifford outlines several examples where leading companies are utilizing AI or have implemented systemized use of available data and platforms to benefit research and analysis. He also shares examples of how the use of AI has created ethical issues within the legal profession, explaining AI’s potential influence on the American Bar Association’s evaluation of the risks presented by these emerging technologies.

To read Mr. Clifford’s article in full, click here. His thoughts on the subject of AI will continue in the next issue of Chicago Lawyer Magazine.

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Ms. King, who has obtained numerous record medical malpractice settlements and verdicts for plaintiffs, will be speaking on “Pulmonary Embolism Cases” at the Westin Chicago River North, 320 N. Dearborn, Chicago.

The program offers 4.25 hours of continuing legal education credit. Many other speakers will be presenting throughout the morning on topics ranging from “Winning the Battle of the Experts” to “Jury De-Selection.”

Keith Hebeisen, partner at Clifford Law Offices, and Ms. King are editors of the updated 2023 ITLA Medical Malpractice Trial Notebook that will be available for purchase in connection with the December 1 program. Mr. Hebeisen has been a co-editor of this publication since 1992.

To register for the event, visit iltla.com or call 217-789-0810. The registration desk will open at 7:15 a.m. and the seminar begins at 8 a.m.

The post Sarah F. King to Speak at ITLA Medical Malpractice Seminar appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

“Visual Presentation Helps Juries See the Law” is the title of the article that examines the increased use of demonstrative evidence to help juries understand the various nuances of a case, particularly as the facts and the law become more complex.

“Too many demonstrative exhibits overcomplicate the problem they are trying to simplify by attempting to communicate too many concepts at once. Instead, pick the one thing you are trying to communicate visually and concentrate on that singular concept,” they wrote in the article. To read the entire article, click here*.

Clifford, former Chair of the ABA Section of Litigation, and King a member of the Section, have contributed to this publication and others on trial work. Litigation Magazine is distributed to thousands of lawyers across the country who are members of the Section of Litigation who try cases.

*©2023. Published in Litigation Magazine, Vol. 49, No. 3, Spring 2023, by the American Bar Association. Reproduced  with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in  any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association or the copyright holder.

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In Dawkins v. Fitness International, LLC, 2022 IL 127561 (Il. Sup. Ct., decided May 22, 2022), a 69-year-old woman was exercising at an Oswego fitness facility when she stopped breathing and collapsed. Although an automated external defibrillator (AED) and a trained personnel member were available, nothing was done to save her for eight minutes. She suffered irreparable brain damage.

The state’s highest court ruled that two state statutes control, and when read together, they mean that the facility had a duty to act meaning the “non-use of the AED would amount to willful and wanton misconduct.”

To read the entire column that appeared in the latest edition of the Chicago Lawyer, click here.

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