Kevin P. Durkin

Kevin P. Durkin is a nationally acclaimed personal injury attorney and partner at Clifford Law Offices with an exceptional track record of achieving record-breaking results for his clients. Throughout his extensive career, spanning forty-five years, Mr. Durkin has successfully represented clients across various practice areas, including transportation accident litigation, premises liability, and medical malpractice. He is best known for his work as an international aviation accident attorney and his involvement in nearly every major commercial airline crash over the last four decades, often serving as lead counsel.

Four Decades of Record-Breaking Results

Throughout his prolific career, Mr. Durkin has handled well over 100 cases that resulted in verdicts or settlements exceeding $1 million, including some of the largest verdicts recorded in Illinois. Among those record-breaking cases is a record $35 million settlement Mr. Durkin obtained in 2018 on behalf of a 24-year-old woman who was severely injured after a truck struck her and dragged her for 60 feet at a Chicago street corner. The settlement is considered a record in the state of Illinois for any verdict or settlement involving a pedestrian.

Other record-setting cases Mr. Durkin has handled include:

• A $112 million verdict on behalf of two men who were injured in a grain bin explosion at a ConAgra Mill in southern Illinois. Mr. Durkin received a Trial Lawyer Excellence Award from the Jury Verdict Reporter of the Law Bulletin Publishing Company for his work on this case.
• A $38.3 million verdict on behalf of a mother and her two children who were involved in a devastating truck-car collision on Interstate 90 near Rockford. This verdict was among the Top 100 Verdicts in the National Law Journal 2005.
• A $24 million verdict was obtained on behalf of a small boy hit by a speeding CTA bus in a school zone.
• A $22.75 million wrongful death verdict on behalf of a young woman who lost her 31-year-old husband in a vehicular crash on I-294. This verdict was the largest wrongful death verdict in Cook County in the last ten years at that time.
• A $16 million jury verdict on behalf of the families of a fourteen-year-old and a nineteen-year-old who were killed when entrapped in a grain bin. The result was a record wrongful death verdict for a minor in Illinois outside of Cook County. Mr. Durkin received a Trial Lawyer Excellence Award from the Jury Verdict Reporter of the Law Bulletin Publishing Company.
• A $14.2 million verdict was obtained on behalf of a Boy Scout who was permanently brain-damaged following a car accident.
• A $9 million verdict on behalf of a man who lost an arm and his spleen in a rail tragedy following a three-week trial in federal court in central Illinois.
• A $7.5 million verdict was obtained on behalf of a man who suffered permanent brain damage from an automobile accident. The case resulted in the largest personal injury verdict in South Dakota.

Notable Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Verdicts And Settlements

Throughout his career, Mr. Durkin has been at the forefront of some of the most high-profile and complex personal injury and wrongful death cases in Illinois and beyond. He served as co-counsel in the highly publicized case of the internationally acclaimed violinist Rachel Barton, who was severely injured when a Chicago commuter train dragged her for more than 300 feet. After four years of detailed investigation and dozens of depositions, the month-long trial resulted in a $35 million verdict, highlighting Mr. Durkin’s outstanding trial skills and unrelenting advocacy for the individuals he represents.

In another highly publicized case, Mr. Durkin secured a $10 million settlement on behalf of a suburban police officer who was severely injured when a speeding hearse ran a red light and struck him during a routine patrol. The case drew media attention because of the so-called “black box” discovered in the hearse, which revealed the vehicle’s speed at the time of the incident and contradicted the driver’s initial police statement.

Mr. Durkin was instrumental in seeking justice for the victims of the devastating 2003 Cook County Administration Building fire, which resulted in six deaths and injured sixteen others. As the lead plaintiffs attorney, his unwavering commitment to justice and relentless pursuit of accountability culminated in a $100 million settlement. Furthermore, the efforts of Mr. Durkin and his team initiated significant public policy changes that influenced improvements to Chicago’s 911 response system, firefighter preparedness, and the Chicago Fire Department’s search and rescue protocols.

Outside of Illinois, Mr. Durkin also represented several men who were severely burned in a power plant explosion in Hammond, Indiana, recovering multi-million dollar settlements on behalf of the injured workers.

A Leader In Aviation Accident Litigation

Over the past four decades, Mr. Durkin has established himself as a leading authority in aviation accident litigation. His practice encompasses various aviation-related cases, from commercial airline crashes and helicopter accidents to product liability claims and general aviation. His blend of deep legal knowledge and tireless work ethic has made him a powerful force in the fight for justice and accountability in aviation disasters. In 2025, Mr. Durkin was recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for Aviation Law in Chicago by Best Lawyers®, a prestigious honor he has held for three years.

Among his many aviation case results, Mr. Durkin was part of the plaintiffs’ team that negotiated a $110 million settlement for several families in the American Airlines Flight 4184 crash in Roselawn, Indiana. He also served as one of three members of the Management Committee leading the complex litigation in the tragedy of Alaska Air Flight 261 that crashed in the Pacific Ocean in 2000 en route to Seattle from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He took dozens of depositions, including those of the top engineers in the case against the airline and Boeing, despite the NTSB giving the corporate giant a virtual pass. In addition, Mr. Durkin obtained more than $40 million in settlements on behalf of seven families who lost loved ones, including the largest of the 90 cases settled in that mass disaster litigation. His dedication to seeking justice, alongside the skilled team at Clifford Law Offices, has set a high bar for aviation law and industry-wide policy reform.

Currently, Mr. Durkin represents numerous families that lost loved ones in the ongoing litigation in federal district court against Boeing surrounding the tragic 2019 crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. He also supports the firm’s efforts in representing families who lost loved ones in the 2025 collision of American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. military helicopter near Reagan National Airport.

Mr. Durkin’s experience in aviation litigation extends to numerous other significant cases, showcasing his exceptional skill, professional leadership, and dedication to achieving justice for his clients:

• Mr. Durkin chaired the Steering Committee for the Singapore Air crash Flight 006.
• The American Airlines Flight 587 crash in Queens, New York, was another case where Mr. Durkin played a key role on the Steering Committee.
• He served as Lead Plaintiff’s Co-Counsel in federal court for the American Airlines Flight 4184 crash in Roselawn, Indiana.
• Mr. Durkin represented the family of Joshua Woods, a six-year-old boy killed in the December 2005 Southwest jetliner crash at Midway Airport.
• He provided critical support to several families affected by the August 2006 Comair plane tragedy in Lexington, Kentucky, and the February 2009 Colgan Air commuter aircraft crash near Buffalo, New York.

Beyond his work in commercial aviation litigation, Mr. Durkin has also represented victims of many small plane and helicopter crashes. One notable case involved the tragic death of Bob Collins, WGN radio’s beloved disc jockey, who was killed when a small plane crashed into him as he was landing in the Chicago area. Mr. Durkin successfully navigated this complex case, securing an award for the maximum coverage by the insurance in 2007, which was nearly $1 million. Mr. Durkin also obtained a $4.1 million settlement in October 2001 on behalf of a photographer killed in a helicopter crash in northwest suburban Chicago.

Read more about these aviation cases in Clifford Law Offices’ Aviation Brochure.

Leadership Beyond the Courtroom

As a respected leader in his practice, Mr. Durkin has held numerous prestigious positions within esteemed legal associations. He has been invited to speak across the U.S. and internationally on various topics pertaining to plaintiffs litigation, specifically aviation accident litigation.

Mr. Durkin served four years as the Co-Chair of the Aviation Committee for the 75,000-member American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation. In that position, he chaired an annual program that assembled some of the best and the brightest to discuss cutting-edge issues in aviation litigation. He continues to contribute to this program as a frequent speaker. Mr. Durkin served for two years as Co-Chair of the Mass Torts Litigation Committee and has served as Vice-Chair of the Aviation and Space Law Committee of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association. He is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is also a Past President of the Chicago Bar Association.

With a passion for teaching and a knack for connecting with others, Mr. Durkin returned to his alma mater, DePaul University College of Law, as an adjunct faculty member from 1988-1994. He continued serving the school as President of the DePaul University College of Law Center for Public Interest Advisory Board from 2008-2010.

While no longer a professor, Mr. Durkin educates attorneys, judges, and the public through numerous continuing legal education programs worldwide. He has joined panels and conferences in the UK, Spain, and Mexico with prestigious organizations, including The Outer Temple and the Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injuries Lawyers, to speak on various topics surrounding aviation litigation, including international legal systems, his work surrounding the ongoing Boeing litigation, and developments in liability of air carriers.

In addition to supporting the Chicago community through his legal work, Mr. Durkin is an Executive Board Member of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. He has long supported the non-profit organization’s mission to provide funding to support the families of Chicago Police Officers who are killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty.

Peer-Recognized Distinction and Awards

With a relentless focus on delivering justice and results for his clients, Mr. Durkin has built a reputation within the profession and among peers as a tireless advocate for those affected by personal injury or wrongful death. His reputation has earned him numerous accolades, including consistent recognition as a top-tier attorney across by Best Lawyers® in personal injury litigation, aviation law, and product liability since 2011, and repeatedly earning the prestigious “Lawyer of the Year” across five years and several practice areas, including aviation law. These accolades are based on peer reviews and his legal ability, professionalism, and integrity. Additionally, he has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer and a Leading Lawyer since 2003, demonstrating his enduring reputation as a leader in his field.

A Chicago Attorney You Can Count On

Beyond his decades of experience and proven track record of success, Mr. Durkin is deeply connected to the Chicago community. Born and raised on Chicago’s Southside, Mr. Durkin came from a family of large family that emphasized hard work and the importance of upholding resilience and understanding without bias. He attended the University of Illinois – Champaign/Urbana with a major in accounting but was drawn to law after taking an undergraduate course in criminal justice. After he graduated from DePaul University College of Law, Mr. Durkin served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago for eight years, gaining invaluable experience surrounding legal processes.

Connecting with Robert Clifford, Clifford Law Offices’ founder and senior partner, Mr. Durkin saw an opportunity to transfer his law knowledge to advocacy and provide support and help to injured individuals and their families. Since 1988, he has focused on civil litigation alongside Bob and the team at Clifford Law Offices, creating significant change in Chicago and leading groundbreaking legal efforts on behalf of his clients.