Attorneys

Carolyn Welch Clifford
cclifford@obkcg.com

Partner, Naperville Office

Carolyn Welch Clifford graduated from the University of Illinois in 1986 with a B.S. degree in News-Editorial Journalism, and received her J.D. degree from the University of Illinois in 1989. While attending law school, Ms. Clifford served as a teaching assistant for a business writing course at the University of Illinois, Department of Business and Technical Writing, and received recognition for outstanding teaching during five semesters.

Ms. Clifford served as co-chair of the Chicago Bar Association School Law Committee, Young Lawyers' Section, and served as the vice chair of the Program Development and Special Projects Committee, Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division, of the American Bar Association. Ms. Clifford also served on the University of Illinois College of Law Recent Alumni Advisory Board and is an active member of the Barrington Area Branch, American Association of University of Women and the Girl Scouts. Ms. Clifford was recently elected to the Board of Trustees of the Barrington Public Library District.

Ms. Clifford's publications include "School Library Censorship: the Need for Policy," Illinois School Board Journal (March 1986); "Officers' Liability Insurance," Manual on Conflict of Interests and Liability of Illinois Elected Municipal Officials (Illinois Municipal League); "Chapter 2, School Board Practices, Procedures and Elections," Illinois School Law (1992 ed.) (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education); and contributions to the school law column in the IASB School Board News Bulletin. Currently, Ms. Clifford is the editor of the firm's newsletters, Legal Insights for Fire Protection Districts, Legal Insights for School Districts, Legal Insights for Pension Boards, and Legal Insights for Local Governments. She frequently authors articles for a variety of publications, including The Fire Call, The Fire Guard, and The Gong.

Ms. Clifford has been admitted to the bars of the State of Illinois and the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and is a member of the American, Illinois, and DuPage County Bar Associations, the DuPage Association of Women Lawyers, and the Illinois Council of School Attorneys. She concentrates her practice in the areas of education law, fire protection districts, pension boards, and other local governments. Ms. Clifford developed and maintains the content for the firm's web site.