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Clifton Albright Sr.: Proving Doubters Wrong

From elementary to law school, Clifton Albright Sr.’s teachers and professors told him he would not succeed.

One of the most notorious offenders, Clifton’s fourth grade teacher, constantly told his parents that he was a troublesome student who didn’t apply himself.

“I could see the hurt in my mom’s face,” Clifton recalled after another talk with his fourth-grade teacher. “While we were walking to the car, I held my mom’s hand and said to her, ‘Mom, I’ll make you proud one day.’”

“She looked at me with no expression.”

Since then, Clifton has earned a J.D., started his own practice, won multiple awards and has been appointed by President Barack Obama and reappointed by President Donald Trump to the International Trade Advisory Committee, which works with the Secretary of Commerce.

Clifton and his firm, Albright, Yee & Schmit APC, were one of five honored on May 30 at the Business Journal’s 25th annual Family-Owned Business Awards in the small business category, at the Irvine Marriott with about 300 attendees. His firm, where his wife, Stella Albright, and their three sons—Clifton Albright Jr., Alexander Albright and Eric Albright all work—has been in business for over 40 years.

Clifton’s boutique labor and employment law firm has offices in Los Angeles and in Newport Beach. Clients of the firm and Clifton include the County of Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, Toyota and DirecTV.

Education Journey

Clifton grew up in Compton.

He attended Phineas Banning High School in Wilmington, a high-crime area where “every week somebody from school would get killed.”

The violence became routine for Clifton and his fellow students, until one of Clifton’s closest friends was fatally shot.

“Even to this day, I don’t have many close friends because I’ve been scared that people close to me could get killed any time.”

After earning a degree in business administration from California State University, Long Beach, Clifton pursued his J.D. at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Prior to graduation, Clifton’s professors discouraged him from practicing in the city.

They said, “‘if you’re ever able to pass the bar, go to Barstow, don’t try anywhere in LA,’” he recalled.

“As soon as I graduated and passed the bar, I got a map and circled downtown,” he said. “I only looked for jobs in the middle of downtown LA.”

Networking Expert

Clifton landed a law clerk job at the LA office of Security Pacific Bank.

On the side he started his own practice in 1982.

He ventured to high-end restaurants and attended events frequented by execs who would later become his clients.

Clifton built a client base that was enough for him to eventually quit his legal counsel job with Lloyds Bank years after starting his practice.

Succession Plan

Clifton is planning to pass the baton to his son, Clifton Jr., who also goes by JR, in some three to five years.

JR, an associate at the firm, always knew he wanted to be like his father.

“That aspiration has been in me for as long as I could form a thought,” he said.

The realization that he wanted to become a lawyer like his father, however, came later.

At around 20 years old, JR joined Clifton in a meeting with the LA mayor, city controller, city attorney and other officials.

“The entire meeting, my dad was his goofy, happy, playful self,” he said. “That made me realize that I can do this job and still be me.”

Lawyer of the Year

Of the many awards Clifton has won over the years, one in particular stands out.

In 2017, he attended the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce gala in Crypto Arena, then known as Staples Center, as a nominee for Lawyer of the Year, along with his mom, dad and children..

Much to his surprise, he received the award. When he sat down after giving his acceptance speech, his mom put her hand on his lap.

“‘I’m proud of you,’” she told him.

“I knew she was referring to what I vowed to her in fourth grade,” he said. “That was all I needed to hear.”

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Sonia Chung
Sonia Chung
Sonia Chung joined the Orange County Business Journal in 2021 as their Marketing Creative Director. In her role she creates all visual content as it relates to the marketing needs for the sales and events teams. Her responsibilities include the creation of marketing materials for six annual corporate events, weekly print advertisements, sales flyers in correspondence to the editorial calendar, social media graphics, PowerPoint presentation decks, e-blasts, and maintains the online presence for Orange County Business Journal’s corporate events.
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