Michaels, Ryan E.

Pamela Sakowicz Menaker is the Communications Partner at Clifford Law Offices.  As an attorney with two degrees in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Pam combines her experience in these two fields in handling the press in the many high-profile cases handled by the firm.  For instance, Pam was involved in the month-long trial of internationally-claimed violinist Rachel Barton who was severely injured by a Metra train.  The case drew front-page headlines and daily television coverage in what has been described as the most publicized civil trial in the history of Cook County.  It resulted in a $29.6 million verdict that was upheld on appeal.  Pam is involved with numerous clients from the initial filing of a case to the final settlement of the matter.  She routinely conducts press conferences so that an organized, considered approach to high-profile matters can be presented that ensures the clients’ rights are protected.  Other cases for which she has handled the press that drew national media attention include the fire at the Cook County Administration Building, the scaffolding collapse at the John Hancock Building and the porch collapse in Chicago that killed 13 and injured dozens of others.

Pam also has been involved in handling the press involving Girl X, a girl left for dead at a Chicago housing project; Michael Chambers, who was killed by off-duty officers at a wedding in south suburban Countryside; Bob Collins, the popular WGN radio personality who was killed in a small plane crash; Nancy Clay, who was killed in a high-rise fire when Chicago firefighters were unable to reach her; and every major commercial airline crash in the United States over the past decade in which Robert Clifford has been involved.

When it comes to the press, Pam is no stranger.  Her background includes experience in every type of media outlet.  Upon graduating from Northwestern, Pam worked as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune where her beat was 10 western suburbs.  She then moved to ABC-TV where she worked for the local affiliate in Chicago as a writer/producer for the local news.  She also created the column Prelude in N for North Shore Magazine which she wrote for two years for the popular magazine.  She has been a Washington correspondent and political speech writer in the nation’s capital as well as a producer/writer for Tribune Entertainment and the New York Times Corporation where she worked on a pilot for a news magazine program.  Pam also has taught as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism where she taught writing to graduate students and assisted in teaching Law of Journalism to undergraduates. Most recently, Pam was an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate Program of the Integrated Marketing Communications Department of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism where she taught a class on "Consumer, Law and Ethics of Marketing."

Pam also has been very involved in legal writing since her graduation from Loyola University School of Law in 1984.  Having been the first night-law student selected to compete on the school’s Moot Court team, Pam also argued a case before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in her Appellate Practicum class.  She later appeared before that court as a pro bono attorney representing criminal defendants for the Northern District of Illinois.  She also was selected as an extern attorney and worked in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Consumer Fraud Division, where she was introduced to issues of consumer fraud.  Upon graduation, she worked for a number of firms on post-trial and appellate brief writing, but it was consumer and tort issues that piqued her interest most.

In 1991, she began working for Clifford Law Offices.  The handling of the press on high-profile cases grew with the firm until her appointment in 2001 as the firm's Communications Partner, recognizing her journalism as well as her legal experience.  Pam also is involved in various bar associations including the American Bar Association where she was Co-Chair of the Section of Litigation's Written Materials Committee and other positions involving the publication of materials for that 70,000-plus member group.  She also served as Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting in Chicago in 2005, helping organize the dozens of programs and written materials accompanying the continuing legal education seminars.  She also serves as an Editor on the prestigious Litigation Magazine that is distributed quarterly to the Section's members.  Pam also has been a member of the Chicago Bar Association's Editorial Board for the Chicago Bar Record, serving as its book review editor since 2000.  In 2006, she was appointed to serve as Co-Chair of the CBA's Pro Bono Week Committee, which was marked by Mayor Richard Daley and Governor Rod Blagojevich proclaiming the week in October in recognition of the efforts of the Chicago Bar Association and Chicago Bar Foundation in raising the awareness of lawyers' pro bono efforts in Chicago and around the state.

Pam was selected in 2006 to serve as the Co-Chair of the Host Committee for the Illinois Bar Foundation's Annual Gala Affair.  The annual event, designed to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars which ultimately is used to benefit the dozens of pro bono legal organizations around Chicago, is an event that attracts hundreds of lawyers who also are committed to furthering the philanthropic goals of the charitable arm of the Illinois Bar Association.  Currently, Pam is also working to establish continuing legal education programs at Clifford Law Offices which has been certified by the state as a provider of such programs to lawyers.

As a side interest, but one that complements her career, Pam has taken classes in improvisation at Second City and Improv Olympics in Chicago, and has appeared on stage entertaining audiences in the field of improv comedy.  She is in the process of writing a book.

Clifford Law Offices is proud of Pam Menaker's achievements for the firm and for the Chicago legal community.