DePaul College of Law to be renamed for attorney Robert A. Clifford after $30 million gift
In honor of a $30 million gift, DePaul University is renaming its College of Law after personal injury attorney Robert A. Clifford.
DePaul University said the gift from Clifford and his wife, Joan, both DePaul alumni, will provide expanded opportunities for students and faculty while elevating the profile and prestige of the law school.
Robert Clifford is the founder of the Clifford Law Offices, a personal injury firm known for its work on wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. Founded in 1984, the Clifford Law Offices tout that they have recovered more than $5 billion in verdicts in cases involving major aviation disasters, transportation accidents, and medical negligence.
The Clifford Law Offices note that Robert Clifford has represented victims and their families in nearly every major commercial U.S. plane crash since 1979, and became known for his work as lead counsel in the federal litigation stemming from the 2019 crash of Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX8.
Clifford is also celebrating his 50th College of Law class reunion this month. He is a DePaul Life Trustee, the university noted.
"This extraordinary gift honors Bob's distinguished career while shaping the future of legal education at DePaul for generations to come," DePaul President Robert L. Manuel said in a news release. "It builds on the College of Law's proud history and strengthens its position as a leader in preparing exceptional lawyers who lead with integrity, serve their communities and advance justice. I am deeply grateful to Bob and Joan for their remarkable generosity, their longstanding partnership and their unwavering belief in DePaul's Catholic and Vincentian mission."
The gift also establishes the Robert A. Clifford Trial Advocacy, Litigation, and Negotiation Center, which will support skills-oriented legal training and build recognition through negotiation and mock trial competitions.
Meanwhile, the Robert A. Clifford College of Law Endowment will establish Clifford Excellence Scholarships for high-achieving law students navigating the challenges of a career in law, and Clifford Distinguished Faculty Fellows programs, in which faculty members will receive research and scholarly support and host a mini-symposium of their work.
"Joan and I are proud to further the excellence and mission of the College of Law," Clifford said in a DePaul news release. "My own DePaul education, informed by DePaul's Vincentian values that honor the dignity of every person, played a foundational role in my own career journey and perspective. We're honored to give back and help current and future generations of law students and legal professionals succeed while making a difference in the civil justice system."
