A Personal Reflection

By Managing Editor: Joshua Brown

I am personally thankful for Greg Clifford’s encouragement and support to me. I remember meeting him at Edgewater Park during the BLSA Barbeque early in my 1L year. He wanted to personally greet each of the incoming students and to give us his contact information. When I told him my name, he recognized me as he worked closely with my father at Cleveland Municipal Court. He went into all the stories he had going back years and told me that he was proud to see me. 

   He was always a friendly face, and he made himself present at school events and Norman S. Minor events. His distinctive voice and smile could be felt across the room and could not be missed. He made it a point to catch up with me and ask how my classes were going whenever we crossed paths. He gave great advice on how to get through classes and exams. With even more enthusiasm, he gave advice on how to build community, and he expressed the importance of having support systems like BLSA, NSMBA, and outside mentors. He impressed upon me a desire to be more involved on campus and in the city. 

   By the time we met at Edgewater, Greg was already retired but he was still full of energy. Looking at his past projects and accomplishments, it is clear that Greg was a man who kept himself busy and may have always been looking for the next task. That level of tenacity may be something I want replicate or perhaps not. Either way, it serves as inspiration that a good use of time and effort can make meaningful changes in the community.  

   Greg’s story is inspiring because he is an example of someone maximizing their efforts and excelling in multiple roles. From his work with the court to the bar and alumni associations, Greg Clifford showed that hard work and good spirit pay off. I see his devotion to the city of Cleveland as something that I want to replicate in my own career. His personability throughout his career is shown through the many people mourning his passing. I hope to shape my career in a way that honors Chief Magistrate Greg Clifford and the progress he has instituted in the city of Cleveland.