Approach the Bench

  John V. Kalantzis learned early on the value of helping others through tough situations. The son of Greek immigrants, he grew up watching the frustrations and confusion his parents faced on a day-to-day basis as they tried to navigate their newfound culture and society. Their struggles became one of the chief motivators behind John eventually pursuing a career in law and representing victims of wrongdoing who might not otherwise have a voice with which…

James C. Pullos, partner at Clifford Law Offices, values fighting for justice on behalf of those people harmed and always acts with a sense of urgency to hold wrongdoers accountable. Jim’s philosophy on litigation is based on integrity and hard work for his clients. His strong work ethic and sense of social justice were shaped while he was working his first jobs – at his family’s restaurant and as a union railroader. He attended Marquette…

Susan A. Capra, partner at Clifford Law Offices, is a compassionate and dedicated attorney, always advocating for the patient. Susan’s career path reflects her compassion for others. As an undergraduate, she studied nursing and worked for years as a registered nurse at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. She joined Clifford Law Offices in 1989, having graduated with Honors from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago in 1990. Susan’s nursing experience gives her a unique advantage…

Helping other people in times of need. Volunteering in one’s spare time. Juggling a house and family life. That is the life of Tracy Brammeier, an associate at Clifford Law Offices for the past three years. She joined the firm as a law clerk as a 1L student at Loyola University School of Law and has been with the firm since 2011. Her father was a lawyer, having practiced criminal defense work in Chicago for…

It’s a story heard over and over – a family of eight grows up on Chicago’s South Side in the Beverly neighborhood. His father works round-the-clock in the restaurant business while his mother does the “heavy lifting” of raising six children, working shifts at the restaurant, and pursuing her own nursing career. The children attend parochial high schools but the first five children do not seriously pursue higher education. (All three of the older boys…

Steve Jobs and Michael Wozniak founded Apple Computer. The Blues Brothers debuted on Saturday Night Live. Peyton Manning was born. A gallon of gas was 59 cents. Jimmy Carter was elected as President. The country celebrated its bicentennial. The year was 1976. It also was the year that I was sworn in as a lawyer. Obviously, a lot has happened since then, in the country, around the world and in each of our lives. I…

The daughter of two physicians in Poland, Marta (Kowalczyk) Davidson immigrated to the United States when she was just three-years-old. Her father continued working as a board certified family practice physician in the U.S. and her mother worked in the health care field. The Kowalczyks eventually settled in Park Ridge, a northwest suburb of Chicago. Marta attended Maine South High School. It was there that Marta’s love of the law crystallized. She was selected to…

  Clifford Law associate attorney, Kristofer Riddle has two sides of his personality that combine to work in service of his clients. He is a well-liked, thoughtful attorney with knowledge well beyond his years. His role has him involved in handling some of the most complex litigation at the firm. He does so with a steady, even demeanor, one that his clients and his colleagues appreciate and respect. But don’t be fooled by his affable…

So many of the attorneys at Clifford Law Offices are products of growing up in Chicago’s back yard – in its wonderful neighborhoods or the surrounding areas. Sarah King, associate at the firm, could have been literally anywhere in the world, yet she still found her way to Chicago and 120 North LaSalle Street in a story that perhaps only could come from someone’s imagination. But it’s true. Sarah grew up in North Hollywood, the…