Long-time host Jon Amarilio is stepping back after six years and bringing in new voices, including Brammeier, to continue the show’s tradition of unscripted conversations about legal news, events, and stories.

Brammeier, former Chair of the CBA Young Lawyers Section, is one of six rotating hosts of the program that will offer commentary and discussion with guests from various legal backgrounds and cover a variety of legal topics. She brings her expertise in personal injury law, adding a fresh perspective to the podcast’s focus on engaging discussions for young lawyers.

To learn more about this podcast or to listen to Tracy’s first episode in which Jon Amarilio introduces the four new co-hosts, visit Passing the Gavel: Jon Amarilio Bids Farewell and Welcomes New Voices – Legal Talk Network.

For further information, contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell) or pammenaker@cliffordlaw.com.

The post Tracy Brammeier Announced as New Co-Host of @theBar Podcast appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

Keith Hebeisen is a celebrated trial lawyer with forty years of experience in medical malpractice, product liability, transportation, and toxic tort cases. He became interested in being a lawyer “kind of late in the game,” he said, sharing his experience:

“When I graduated from college, I had no intention of going back to school. I had taken the LSAT and actually had a really good score on it, but I spent four years in the concrete construction business after I got out of college …in the early 1980s, when the economy was messed up, and construction dropped, I needed to figure out something else to do, and I ended up applying to law school….But early on, I really got torts into my system. I found it interesting learning about theories of liability and people receiving compensation when somebody harmed them through negligence. Then getting into how to prove these things with the rules of evidence, I really liked that.”

In his second year of law school at DePaul University, his professor introduced him to Bob Clifford, an associate at the Offices of Philip Corboy at the time, and ended up working with him as a law clerk. Under the mentorship of Clifford, along with other prominent attorneys such as Philip Corboy and Al Hofeld, Keith was exposed to different styles and was taught the value of working hard and always being prepared.

Keith has been with Clifford Law Offices since its inception in 1984. He shared that even after 40 years of medical malpractice representation, he learns something new about medicine in every case. Witnessing his work’s positive impact on people’s lives, he remains dedicated to his profession and always focused on the goal.

“I’d say there’s a common denominator in all my cases, which is that I do really care about what happens to my clients, and I try to do what’s right for them, even though sometimes it’s not what I would want to do for my ego. I try my hardest to tune out the noise and focus on the goal. I’m trying to accomplish the best I can for this client, no matter what.”
-Keith A. Hebeisen, Partner at Clifford Law Offices

As an active member and past president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Keith helps advocate for and against proposed legislation at the state capital in order to improve laws and policy. He stresses that we can’t take laws for granted and how important it is to stay involved and fight for our rights before they are stripped from us. Also serving on the Board of Governors of The American Association for Justice, he sees a direct relationship between state tort laws where trial bars are active and those that are not.

“You really can’t take this stuff for granted; politics are involved. If you’re not involved, things will come up out of nowhere and blindside you, and all of a sudden, you’ve got a big problem with the laws in your state. Rights get taken away, and then it’s really hard to get them back.”
-Keith A. Hebeisen, Partner at Clifford Law Offices

Keith also discussed trends affecting his practice, including how jurors are more open-minded in medical malpractice cases, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as an influence, saying how the pandemic led people to look at life differently, resulting in a greater willingness to hold more healthcare providers and institutions responsible.

Lawdragon’s Lawyer Limelights interviews highlight the careers of exceptional attorneys, providing a unique forum for the ultimate series for lawyer conversation.

Read Keith Hebeisen’s full interview on Lawdragon here.

The post Keith Hebeisen Interviewed in Lawdragon Lawyer Limelights Series appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

The US Federal Trade Commission has sued the nation’s three largest PBMs, alleging that they have steered patients to buy higher-priced insulins to reap more profits.

Shannon explained how this impacts patients and what the government’s lawsuit is trying to do against the three PBMs that control 80 percent of this business.

The post Shannon McNulty Discussed Latest Government Lawsuit Attacking High Cost of Insulin on WGN Radio appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

The program educates the public by creating access to information from the lawyers, judges, policymakers, and community leaders that shape the laws essential to promoting the ideals of DSF. By highlighting the diverse experiences of attorneys, the Diversity Scholarship Foundation helps link the legal community to the people it serves.

Sarah F. King is a highly-ranked trial attorney in Illinois recognized for her record-breaking case results forged with intelligence, grit, and perseverance. She works with dedication and tenacity to investigate and prepare complex medical malpractice cases that pursue justice for those harmed by medical negligence and wrongdoing, particularly on behalf of injured women and children. In 2024, she was installed as the President of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, leading the interests and impact of women lawyers across the state.

Sarah King, partner at Clifford Law Offices, with Justice Jesse Reyes, President of the Diversity Scholarship Foundation.

Sarah King joined Justice Jesse Reyes for a “Profiles In The Law” interview at CAN TV.

The post Sarah King Interviewed on “Profiles in the Law” Cable Program appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

Chaired by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the hearing was held at the Hart Senate Office Building, 120 Constitution Ave. NE, Washington, D.C., It marks the first time a Boeing senior executive testified before a congressional hearing since a door plug blew off a 737 MAX in January. Calhoun took over the helm of Boeing in January 2020 after the previous CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, was fired following two crashes of the Boeing 737 MAX8 that killed 346 people within five months five years ago. Calhoun is set to retire at the end of this year.

In a press release announcing the hearing, Blumenthal said, “Five years ago, Boeing made a promise to overhaul its safety practices and culture. That promise proved empty, and the American people deserve an explanation. I look forward to Mr. Calhoun’s testimony, which is a necessary step in meaningfully addressing Boeing’s failures, regaining public trust, and restoring the company’s central role in the American economy and national defense. Years of putting profits ahead of safety, stock price ahead of quality, and production speed ahead of responsibility has brought Boeing to this moment of reckoning, and its hollow promises can no longer stand.”

Blumenthal outlined in a four-page letter to Calhoun dated March 10, 2024, what he expected to hear from the CEO. The letter can be read here.

“I flew from England to Washington, D.C., to hear in person what the Boeing CEO has to say to the Senate and to the world about any safety improvements made at that corporation,” said Zipporah Kuria who lost her father in the 2019 crash of a Boeing 737 MAX8 jet. “I also continue to press the U.S. government to hold Boeing and its corporate executives criminally responsible for the deaths of 346 people. We will not rest until we see justice.”

The families are awaiting word from the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding its next steps after it found Boeing had violated a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) following several safety issues including a door plug blowing off a mid-air flight of a Boeing jet in January. A federal judge in Texas hearing the matter determined that the families are crime victims under the federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act.

The Boeing 737 MAX8 was in the news last week when Southwest Airlines released information regarding two incidents of this type of aircraft including where one plane in April plunged to within 400 feet of slamming into the Pacific Ocean on its way to Hawaii. There also was a report of a “Dutch roll” of a Boeing 737 MAX8, an unusual rolling motion of a Boeing 737 MAX8 on a flight on May 25 from Phoenix, Arizona to Oakland, California, with 175 passengers and six crew members on board. The Federal Aviation Administration is reportedly investigating both incidents.

The families who were expected to attend include:

• • Chris and Clariss Moore, parents, and David Moore, brother, Canada. Lost Danielle, 24
  • Catherine Berthet, France, lost her daughter, Camille Geoffroy, 24
  • Zipporah Kuria, England, lost her father, Joseph Kuria, 55
  • Michael Stumo and Nadia Milleron, parents, Massachusetts, and Adnaan Stumo, brother, lost Samya Rose Stumo, 24

For further information, please contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 cell.

Media:

• Use the Zoom link below to hear comments from the victims’ families before and after the hearing:
  • https://cliffordlaw.zoom.us/j/5441430731
  • Meeting ID: 544 143 0731
  • One tap mobile
    • +13126266799,,5441430731# US (Chicago)
    • +13092053325,,5441430731# US
• Photos Before Hearing:

• Photos During Hearing:

• Footage of families before the Senate hearing:

• Footage of families reaction after Senate hearing:

The post Families of Crash Victims Attended Senate Hearing as Boeing CEO Testified appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

DOJ prosecutors had agreed to defer prosecution in exchange for the defendants to fulfill certain safety requirements. However, in April 2024, they concluded that Boeing had not been in compliance with the requirements set out in the DPA. That means that criminal charges against the corporation may proceed in federal district court in Texas before Judge Reed O’Connor who is overseeing the criminal matter.

In the DPA, Boeing agreed to fully cooperate with the DOJ’s ongoing investigation of the airline manufacturer’s safety practices and procedures and would implement further safety measures as well as pay a fine to the families. If Boeing had fully complied, the Justice Department would have moved to have all charges dropped against the airline manufacturer. The DOJ said in a letter to Judge O’Connor that Boeing breached its DPA obligations “by failing to design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. fraud laws throughout its operations.”

Families from the U.S. and other countries who lost loved ones in the crashes of the MAX8 jet five years ago are expected to attend in person or via the Internet with representatives of the DOJ in a second “conferral meeting.” Families met in April to voice their concerns about Boeing’s actions since the two deadly crashes that took 346 lives. It is expected that families will offer their input as crime victims under the federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act as to the ongoing prosecution of criminal charges against Boeing.

Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices and Lead Counsel of the civil litigation pending in federal district court in Chicago, also is expected to be present at the meeting in the nation’s capital.

THERE WILL NOT BE ZOOM CAPABILITIES FOLLOWING THE MEETING. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TALKING TO THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE DOJ MEETING, FAMILIES AND LAWYERS WILL COMMENT LIVE OUTSIDE THE BOND BUILDING, 14th STREET and NEW YORK AVENUE, WASHINGTON, D.C., AFTER THE MEETING AT 4 P.M. EST, FRIDAY, MAY 31. PLEASE ATTEND IF YOU’D LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME.

UPON THE CONCLUSION OF THE LIVE PRESS CONFERENCE, A TAPED VERSION WILL BE AVAILABLE AT WWW.CLIFFORDLAW.COM FOR VIEWING.

For further information, please contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 cell.

The post Crash Victims’ Families Meeting on May 31st, with Department of Justice Asking for DOJ to Pursue Criminal Charges Against Boeing Following Finding of Violation of Deferred Prosecution Agreement appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

Judge Simmons called it a “landmark case” that is the first to go to trial over this drug in Illinois against two defendant pharmaceutical companies. Other entities such as Walgreens and Pfizer settled out of court, some for inadequate warnings, according to Lisa Dent, host of WGN-AM radio (720 AM).

The case revolves around an 89-year-old woman who developed colorectal cancer as a result of taking Zantac for about 20 years. Millions of people reportedly used Zantac before it was recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020 because of the presence of ranitidine, a cancer-causing substance that the drug manufacturers were aware of, according to the plaintiff in this case. The FDA said the dangers of using this product increase over time.

Judge Simmons said it will be a battle of experts at trial. Others who have used this drug and alleged it caused their cancers may have a case as well, and Simmons explained how future trials, if any, would proceed.

“These are mass torts because everyone has different damages and different ailments,” Simmons explained. “Class actions is when everyone suffers a similar damage. The results of this trial could encourage other law firms to go to trial if the verdict comes back in favor of the plaintiff. Or it could encourage these two defendants to settle other cases on the docket.”

Jury selection will make the difference, Simmons said. “Life is precious no matter what age,” he said. “Questionnaires that ferret out the data that will assist your client. Life expectancy tables will come in, but if she suffered for years, that will come into the trial.”

The case is being heard before the Hon. Daniel Trevino in Cook County Circuit Court.

Listen to the full interview here:

The post Henry R. Simmons Spoke on WGN Radio About First Zantac Trial in Cook County appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

Set in a modern courtroom, the recreation featured some of the top legal minds in Chicago and Illinois. Sponsored by the National Hellenic Museum, the mock trial took place in May 2023 as part of the museum’s Trial Series, highlighting the enduring relevance and value of Greek thought. Clifford Law Offices was a lead sponsor for the event

Spoiler alert: Clifford’s team wins, unlike what occurred centuries ago for Socrates.

The post Robert Clifford and Sarah King Defended Socrates on PBS appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

FAMILIES SPOKE LIVE OUTSIDE THE BOND BUILDING
14th STREET and NEW YORK AVENUE, WASHINGTON, D.C.
FOLLOWING DOJ MEETING
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. EST.

Boeing Victims’ Family Members:

• Paul Njoroge, (Kenyan-born), – Canada. Lost his whole family: wife, Carol, 34; three children, Ryan, 7; Kelli, 4; Rubi, 7 months; and his mother in law, Anne Karanja
• Catherine Berthet, France, lost her daughter, Camille Geoffroy, 24
• Zipporah Kuria, England, lost her dad, Joseph Kuria, 55
• Javier de Luis, Massachusetts, lost his sister, Graziella de Luis, 58.
• Ike Riffel, California, lost his two sons, Melvin, 29, and Bennett. 26. Melvin was married and his wife was seven months pregnant. Their daughter, Emma never met her dad.

For further information, please contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 cell.

Media

• Letter from Paul Cassell to DOJ Criminal Division dated 4-24-24
• Letter from Paul Cassell to DOJ Fraud Section dated 4-23-24
• Footage of Press Conference
• Photos courtesy of Clifford Law Offices:

The post Press Conference Wednesday, April 24 with Families of Boeing MAX8 Crash Victims Following Meeting with DOJ appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

“NTSB investigators will thoroughly examine all aspects of what led up to the crash and ultimately will use their expertise to determine the probable cause to see if it was avoidable. It is always a horrific tragedy when innocent lives are lost in an aviation crash.”

Considered a leading voice on aviation law, Mr. Clifford is Lead Counsel in a federal court cases consolidated in Chicago involving the crash in Ethiopia of a Boeing 737 MAX8 that killed all 157 on board from 35 countries. He has extensive experience handling major aviation crashes worldwide. He also has extensive experience with helicopter crash cases, including that of a Brazilian business executive, Matias Machline and his wife Marina, who were killed when the helicopter in which they were passengers crashed in inclement weather in 1994 on their way from New York to New Jersey.

In the interview with Business Insider, published February 19, 2024, Mr. Clifford expressed his confidence in the NTSB’s ability to investigate the cause of the tragic crash and provide the victims’ families with the answers they seek.

Mr. Clifford outlines the general expectations surrounding an NTSB investigation of this nature, expanding upon the timeframe for a preliminary report and key elements that investigators will need to address including the weather conditions at the time of the crash, standard safety protocols, the pilot’s experience, and the general condition of the aircraft. He also comments on the implication of the helicopter’s lack of a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder.

“The owner-operator of a helicopter is responsible for equipping the machine. The installation of a FDR or CVR is an economic decision of the owner. The owner was unwilling to make the expenditure on the devices, which was very unfortunate for the passengers. It would be good to know what the passengers were told about the quality of the helicopter before they decided to take the flight.”

To learn more about Robert Clifford and his experience handling significant airplane and helicopter crashes over the last four decades, click here.

The post Bob Clifford Explains the NTSB Investigation of Herbert Wigwe’s Helicopter Crash appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.