About Clifford A. Rieders
Clifford A. Rieders is a partner at Rieders, Travis, Humphrey, Waters & Dohrmann, a Williamsport personal injury law firm.
How Clifford became a lawyer. As a senior in college, Clifford was interested in science and tech. He admired one of his uncles who was an engineer and owned an engineering company.
“I was extremely interested in astrophysics.”
He was drawn to the practice of law because he thought it would be an excellent bridge between the two interests.
“I could use my interest in science and technology to help people with issues they face in their lives and to make institutions more responsive.”
Why Clifford chose to practice personal injury. For Clifford, the law is not just about the memorization of precedents and obscure legal knowledge, it touches on so many areas. In the practice of personal injury, Clifford can bring his knowledge of science, technology, and advances in medicine to the advantage of his clients.
The philosophy Clifford brings to the practice of personal injury law. “Hard work, hard work, hard work. You know the old question the man asked the cab driver in New York City, how to get to Carnegie
Hall and the answer is, ‘Practice, practice, practice.’ My philosophy is hard work, straightforwardness, and always continued self-improvement.”
What drew him to Rieders, Travis, Humphrey, Waters & Dohrmann. Clifford previously served as a federal clerk in Washington DC. The firm had been searching for a lawyer with experience in the federal courts. At the time, the firm was also home to the president pro temp of the State Senate, and Clifford was intrigued by the opportunity to collaborate with him.
“He was a very interesting and unique person, and much of the legislation he was working on had personal injury connotations. I had tremendous opportunities to contribute not only to the law but also to the legislative process. I was immediately able to be working in the federal court system.”
Clifford’s favorite part of his day. “What I like most about the team I work with is that they are good people, fine, intelligent, committed, and mature. They love this work, I am sure, as much as I do. They
understand what it means to work as a team. They want to do well, they want success for themselves, and they want to see our clients be successful.”
Clifford in the community. “I am involved in the legal community in too many ways to mention. I am Past President of the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, now the Pennsylvania Association for Justice. I am the only lawyer in Pennsylvania to serve on two Pennsylvania Supreme Court Committees, the Rules Committee, and the Standard Jury Instruction Committee. I am a past member of the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority in Pennsylvania, which I helped to start. I have, on my wall, the pens of governors who signed bills that I worked on or helped to draft. I worked on dozens of pieces of legislation. I am active in Inns of Court, where I serve as a Master. I am a Life Member of the American Law Institute, which writes proposed principles for every state in the Union. I teach. I have five (5) legal textbooks in publication. I work for the largest legal publisher in the world, the Thomson Reuters Group through Celesq Law. The list goes on.
“In the local community, I work with the Mayor’s office, I have helped organize the community when there was threat of a Nazi march in Williamsport. I was the longest-serving President of Congregation Ohev Sholom. I am working with the Chabad of Lewisburg and Main Line Philadelphia, as well as Haverford, Pennsylvania, to strengthen their programs and community outreach. I am on the Board of Days of Remembrance, a North Central Pennsylvania group organized by retired history teachers. Again, too numerous to mention.”
Clifford outside of the office. He has a strong relationship with his kids and grandkids. His family is very close. He and his wife work together, just as his parents work together.
“At one time, I was in business with my mother. My two daughters are lawyers. My oldest daughter is a member of this law firm, and my second daughter is waiting to sit for the Bar. My son is a paralegal, and he is talking about wanting to go to law school. We have a close, but nevertheless diverse, and marvelous family. I have a close relationship with my sister and brother-in-law and other family members who live throughout the world.”
He also has a tremendous number of hobbies.
“I am an inveterate sailor, woodworker, skier, and biking enthusiast. I have a very close family. I work with my wife, just as my parents worked together."
