Burke is a former Superior Court judge and proven litigator with more than 20 years of courtroom experience. He counsels clients on high-stakes commercial litigation, government investigations, and white-collar defense. Having tried more than 100 cases to verdict as an attorney and presided over thousands of cases as a judge, Burke has an exceedingly rare familiarity with handling complex litigation from both the counsel chair and the bench. This experience gives him the unrivaled perspective and skill needed to develop and execute winning legal strategies and outcomes for his clients.
Before entering private practice, Burke served as a Superior Court judge in Riverside County for more than five years with distinction. As a judge, he presided over one of the busiest courtrooms in the state, hearing dozens of criminal, civil, family, Habeas appeals, and juvenile matters. In recognition of his leadership as a judge, the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, appointed Burke to serve on the Regional Judicial Selection Advisory Commission. In that role, Burke was part of a small group of advisors who reported to the Governor on the selection of California Superior and Appellate Judicial Officers.
Prior to joining the bench, Burke served 10 years as a prosecutor with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. As Senior Deputy District Attorney, he spent six years in the coveted homicide unit where he handled death penalty cases and successfully tried two dozen murder cases to verdict as first chair. He also prosecuted sexual assault, child abuse, complex white-collar crime, and gang violence cases. In one particularly noteworthy case, Burke convicted high-level Sinaloa cartel members for an international conspiracy to commit a series of murders. Burke was twice named “Prosecutor of the Year” and was well known for his impassioned closing arguments, acute legal precision, commanding cross-examinations of defense experts, and unwavering commitment to upholding justice.
Outside the courtroom, based on his passion for helping the victims of child abuse, Burke founded the Humanity of Justice Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps neglected and abused children. In building the foundation, Burke was able to successfully bring together an unprecedented coalition of public safety advocates, community leaders, funders, and service providers to develop and implement innovative child abuse protection programs.
Before joining Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes, Burke was senior counsel at Pacheco & Neach.