Clifford D. Dawkins, Esq.
Managing Partner
Email: Cliff@DawkinsWarrington.com | Phone: 201.919.5458
Clifford D Dawkins, Jr. is the Managing Partner of D&W Law and works with clients to develop and execute cost conscious, practical legal strategies to achieve their business goals. He has represented individuals and corporate clients in litigations before federal and state courts, in a variety of industries, e.g., government, pharmaceuticals, financial services, telecommunications, construction, retail, trucking, tech startups, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing.
Mr. Dawkins also represents clients in mediations and arbitrations before government agencies, and in private negotiated settlements. He also provides trainings and daily advice and counsel to businesses regarding workplace matters. Further, Mr. Dawkins is a highly-skilled, trained ADR professional, presiding over complex mediations and/or arbitrations.
While attending law school, Mr. Dawkins was an editor for the Rutgers Race & the Law Review, served as the president of the Student Bar Association, and participated in International Commercial Moot Court competitions in Paris, France and Hong Kong, China. He worked as an Associate Mediator with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Mr. Dawkins also served as an intern for the Honorable John J. Hoffman, Attorney General for the State of New Jersey. He served as an intern in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Mr. Dawkins also was awarded the United States President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award.
Mr. Dawkins received his J.D. from Rutgers Law School-Newark, where he was the recipient of the Garden State Bar Association Scholarship Award, the Wanda Green Endowed Scholarship Award, the Education Pioneers Fellowship, the ABLS Dream Leader Award, and was a member of the Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honors Society. He received his M.P.P. from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey where he was an Eagleton Institute of Politics Fellow, awarded the Edward J. Bloustein Outstanding Student Services Award, and served as the 20th Anniversary Class Speaker. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from Cornell University, where he was a Cornell Tradition Fellow.
Prior to establishing D&W Law, Mr. Dawkins was an associate at a national employment and labor firm and clerked for the Honorable Jose L. Fuentes, Presiding Judge for the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. Mr. Dawkins also teaches a law school course on Alternative Dispute Resolution.
BAR ADMISSIONS
New Jersey
New York
COURT ADMISSIONS
U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
EDUCATION
J.D., Rutgers University
M.P.P., Rutgers University
B.S., Cornell University
RANKINGS & RECOGNITIONS
Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” (2022-2023)
Super Lawyers Rising Stars “Top Rated Employment & Labor Attorney” (2020-2023)
Urban League of Morris County Pathfinder & Difference Maker Award (2023)
Morris County NAACP Pinkman Heritage Award (2022)
The National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 Award & Top 100 Award (2019 - 2021)
National Employment Lawyers Council Fellow (2019)
National Bar Association’s Chairman’s Award (2019)
American Bar Association’s Men of Color Project, Innovator Spotlight (2019)
Morris County NAACP Master of Ceremony Award (2016-2020)
Morris County NAACP Appreciation Award (2018 & 2019)
United States President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award
Sydney Reitman Inn of Court (2017-2021)
