Philanthropy is a large component of law culture and at Clifford Law Offices many of our attorneys are involved as volunteers with organizations as a way of contributing their personal and professional skills to the greater-Chicago community. April 17-23 is considered National Volunteer Appreciation Week and we would like to take this opportunity to commend our attorneys who continue to commit their time, expertise, and guidance to help others.
Robert Clifford serves on the board of directors for several local and national organizations including the Civil Justice Institute, University of California, Irvine, The Advocacy Institute, SUNY Buffalo Law School, and The Window to the World Communications. Throughout his extensive career, Bob has filled many roles within law associations that include The American Association for Justice, The American Bar Association, and the Chicago Bar Association. He has been a speaker at continuing education events, sponsored fundraising events, and served on several advisory counsels for universities and other institutions. For over 25 years, Bob has sponsored the Annual Clifford Tort Symposium on Tort Law and Civil Justice at DePaul University College of Law. He also served as Past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Naples Children & Education Foundation, a charitable organization that benefits over 200,000 at-risk and underprivileged children in Southwest Florida.
Susan Capra is a native Chicago resident and she is always looking for ways to give back to her community. She volunteers every weekend with various organizations serving senior citizens, the military and their families, and underprivileged children.
Bradley Cosgrove was raised on Chicago’s South Side and comes from a family of firefighters. He is proud of his community and constantly finds ways to give back. He volunteers for the Wounded Warrior Project, the Annual Chicago Fire Fights Picnic, and is a sponsor for the Chicago Chiefs Softball Association.
Erin Clifford is a Chicago local and is always looking for opportunities to give back to the Chicago community. She is the board chair of Lawyers Lend-A-Hand, an organization that provides resources for mentoring and tutoring programs working with disadvantaged Chicago communities through grants as well as in-house tutoring and mentoring opportunities. She is a board member of the Friends of Prentice Board and the Chicago High School for the Arts. Erin also serves on the Board of Trustees for WTTW and WFMT.
Sarah King does extensive volunteer work for Women Everywhere: Partners in Service Project, an organization that coordinates volunteer activities to help women and children throughout Chicago. Sarah has held several leadership positions within the organization including Lawyer-to-Lawyer mentorships and Fundraising Chair. She is currently a Board Member, Planning Committee Chair, and ITLA Delegate. Sarah has also been an active member of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.
Shannon McNulty gives back as much as possible to her Chicago community. She was recognized by the U.N.I.T.E. civic organization for her outstanding service towards crime prevention efforts in the Albany Park neighborhood of the city. Shannon has organized several fundraising efforts that have benefited many families including those in Chicago’s Bronzeville area as well as for the families of New York Police Officers who dies in the 9/11 attacks. Shannon serves on the Saint Jude School Board and is a member of the Saint Jude Parent Teacher Organization.
Pamela Menaker volunteers for a range of organizations and institutions that benefit the law field and law students. She is a board member and mentor for law students of the Diversity Scholarship Foundation. She is on several committees including the Illinois State Bar Association, Northwestern University Reunion Committee, Illinois Bar Foundation, and the Chicago Bar Association. In addition, she volunteers for the Center for Conflict Resolution and the Public Interest Law Initiative.
Craig Squillace gives back to the community as a member of the Planning Committee for the March of Dimes’ Comcast Sportsnet Sports Awards. The annual event raises funds to help children with birth defects. He also sits on the Economic Development Committee for the village of Western Springs.
Tracy Brammeier volunteers her skills to the community through her work with the 100 Club of Chicago, a not-for-profit organization that assists the families of police officers and firefighters throughout Cook and Lake Counties, providing a legal resource following the death of a loved one killed in the line of duty. Tracy also volunteers with the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section program Wills For Heroes, which prepares basic wills for Chicago and Illinois State police officers. She is also active in several bar associations.
We are proud to have so many attorneys on our team who are engaged with the community and who are so eager to contribute to bettering our city. Their philanthropy demonstrates the compassion and empathy they exhibit on a daily basis when working with clients.