Christopher R. Clifton

Criminal defense attorney and partner at the law firm of Grace, Tisdale & Clifton P.A., Christopher R. Clifton serves clients in and around Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He focuses his practice on federal appellate and post-conviction representation (section 2255), criminal conspiracy, criminal forfeiture, gaming law, DWI, white collar crimes and felonies.

Obtaining his B.A. in political science from North Carolina State University in 1992, Mr. Clifton earned his Juris Doctor from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1995, and he was licensed to practice the same year in North Carolina. He is also admitted before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th, 8th and 11th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Board-certified by the North Carolina State Bar in state and federal criminal law, Mr. Clifton has argued several cases before the state courts in North Carolina, and he has worked on federal cases in Texas, Georgia, Arkansas and New York. His previous experience as an assistant district attorney for Rowan County has honed his courtroom demeanor and strategic skills, which gives him an edge while handling serious felony cases. In his legal career, spanning more than two decades, he has worked on several complex high-profile cases with successful outcomes. 

Named among the Legal Elite by Business North Carolina magazine, Mr. Clifton is a dedicated attorney who fights tenaciously for the rights of his clients. He has a 10 out of 10 rating on Avvo and has been peer-review rated as Distinguished* through Martindale-Hubbell. 

Mr. Clifton is active in his legal circle and maintains memberships in several prominent organizations. He is a part of the:

· North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission

· North Carolina State Bar

· Federal Bar Association

· North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers

· Forsyth County Criminal Defense Trial Lawyers Association

· Forsyth County Bar Association

· Chief Justice Joseph Branch American Inn of Court 

He is also a member of the Winston-Salem Rotary Club and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. He spends the time outside of his legal practice writing articles and lecturing on topics such as criminal sentencing, gaming law and more.

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.