Soon after graduating law school in 1976 and starting his career at Philip H. Corboy & Associates, Robert A. Clifford tried his first case representing a man hit by a train after he cut around a railroad gate.Clifford thought the trial went well, until the judge allowed a directed verdict.Clifford called Leonard M. Ring, one his mentors, for guidance.“He encouraged me to take an appeal,” he said. “If you were on trial and had an issue, you could call him up and he would freely give advice.&rdquo …