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Robert A. Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices and monthly columnist for the Chicago Lawyer magazine, wrote his July, 2014 column entitled, “Arbitration Mandate Fails PR Test.” In this article, Clifford condemns the recent efforts of General Mills to force binding arbitration on anyone who “liked” one of its products on Facebook, downloaded a coupon, subscribed to an e-mail newsletter or simply purchased a product. Public outcry followed, so General Mills reversed their course…

July 7, 2014 Clifford’s Notes, Chicago Lawyer By Robert A. Clifford Salmonella strikes your family after they eat cookie dough ice cream. Shards of clear glass cause severe injuries when your toddler swallows it with his favorite cereal. You break your front tooth when you chomp on a piece of metal tucked in your granola bar. Foodborne illnesses and product safety are important concerns. In April, the Centers for Disease Control estimated one out of…

By Robert A. Clifford The philosophy of Clifford Law Offices is for our lawyers and our staff to provide a high level of professional services to our clients. We deal with people who are traumatized, have lost loved ones, and are in difficult circumstances where their judgment might be impaired. They need well trained, professional advice and it is my expectation that the lawyers of Clifford Law Offices provide the highest level of service that…

BY THE NUMBERS 14 MILLION GRILLS Americans took home 14 million new grills in 2013 alone. June and July are peak grilling months, but 60 percent of owners report grilling year-round. Source: Grilling Facts and Figures, Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association 25% WOMEN Despite the traditional view that men rule the family grill, a national survey found that 25 percent of women handle the outdoor grilling duties, up from 20 percent last year. Source: More Women Taking the…

Know How to Use, Clean, and Store Your Grill Properly  Kids under five suffer 25 percent of all grill burns. Create a 3-foot “no kid” zone around your grill. Residential fires in America caused 14,700 injuries, 2,470 deaths and $12.4 billion in damages in 2012. While statistically smaller by comparison, grill fires tallied 140 injuries, 10 deaths and $96 million in property damage annually from 2007 to 2011, according to reports from the National Fire Protection…

June 30, 2014 Robert A. Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, has been appointed by the President of the American Bar Association (ABA) to Chair a newly-created task force that will deal with policies, strategies and tactics for the recruitment and retention of new members. James R. Silkenat, ABA President from New York, appointed Clifford as Chair of the Task Force to Examine Association Policies Impacting Recruitment and Retention of Law Students and Young…

Clifford Law Offices partner and attorney Keith A. Hebeisen answered a number of questions regarding tort reform. He explained how those most affected by tort reform are people who have been injured by someone who is negligent and limited (or prevented) from having full compensation. “The overall objective of tort reform is to make it harder or impossible for people in companies to be held accountable when they negligently injure other people,” shared Hebeisen. The…

Clifford Law Offices partner and attorney, Shannon M. McNulty gave legal advice on a variety of questions regarding breaches in data in a recent interview. She advised that if you have been notified that your account has been breached, you should check all of your payment and bank accounts. You should also contact your bank and ask them to re-issue credit or debit cards so the card numbers can be disassociated with your active account….

Robert A. Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices and monthly columnist for the Chicago Lawyer magazine, wrote his July, 2012 column entitled, “Offering the Personal Touch.” In the article, Clifford gives his opinion on how lawyers throughout the country should interact with their clients in a time when the expectations and needs of individual clients are evolving. Clifford explains that money damages, no matter what amount, are never enough to put a client in…