Kevin Burke, Attorney

Kevin Burke has long been recognized for the extraordinary results he has delivered to clients, including a recent listing in Chicago Lawyer magazine’s annual settlement survey as the highest-ranking attorney in Illinois. In the last 13 years, Kevin has secured 56 settlements of more than one million dollars each, for a total of $349 million.

His trial results are equally impressive. Kevin has won every case he’s ever taken to trial in the last seven years. Most recently, in October, 2004, he won a $32 million verdict for a boy severely injured at birth. Campbell v. St. Francis Hospital. Further, in October, 2003, he won a $19.4 million verdict for a woman who had a stroke, developed a flesh-eating infection and lost fingers and toes following complications from outpatient surgery. Phillips v. Evanston Saleh, et al. In April of 2003, he obtained a $3.2 million jury verdict for the family of a 69-year-old mother of four who was struck and killed by a Wilmette School District van. Lecat v. Wilmette School District No. 39. This is the highest known verdict for a wrongful death case involving a person over the age of 65 in Cook County. Further, in December 2002, he achieved a $20 million verdict for the family of a boy born severely brain damaged as a result of medical malpractice at birth. Townsend v. Little Company of Mary Hospital.

In 2004, Kevin obtained a record settlement of $35 million for a young boy who suffered significant brain damage at birth.

Before teaming up with Michael Mahoney and David Wise, Kevin had been a successful trial lawyer at Corboy & Demetrio for more than ten years where he represented plaintiffs in complex negligence cases.

Other notable settlements and verdicts include:

• A $6 million settlement for a woman who sustained injuries in a surgical room fire. Osberger v. The University of Chicago Hospitals, et al.
• A $16.5 million verdict for the family of a child who suffered brain damage at birth. Bellino v. Raju
• A $10 million verdict for a 28 year-old man who was left a quadriplegic in a medical negligence case in 1996. This was the largest jury verdict in Cook County at that time. Daubach v. Lutheran General
• A $7.9 million verdict for an 8 year-old boy who was rendered blind due to the negligence of his pediatrician. Carroll v. Barrows
• A $7.1 million verdict for a brain damaged boy as a result of medical malpractice at birth. Brown v. Luedtke
• A $7 million settlement for the family of a woman who died after a missed diagnosis of cervical cancer. O'Kane v. Olympia Fields

Kevin was also one of the first attorneys to successfully represent a family in a wrongful death case against a tire manufacturer. The case settled for over $12 million and was the subject of a national-award winning investigative series in the Chicago Sun-Times.

In addition to his courtroom successes, Kevin strives to educate others in the field of medical negligence and trial techniques. Kevin has lectured extensively on the subject of trial techniques. His lectures include “Communication in the Courtroom,” Northern Illinois University School of Law, May, 1993; “Blueprint for Building a Successful Medical Malpractice Case,” Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Association, April, 1994; “Obtaining and Preserving Quality Plaintiff’s Experts and Opinions,” December, 1995; “A Plaintiff’s Attorney Looks at Medical Errors,” October, 2000; Illinois Hospital & Health Systems Association Annual Meeting, “Closing Argument,” October, 2001; ATLA Seminar, “Life in the Courtroom, Proving Your Case, and Preparations for Trial – the Medicine,” October, 2001; “Closing the Circle: The Summation,” ATLA Seminar – Medical Negligence: Litigation Tactics of ATLA All Stars, April, 2002.

Kevin has also published several articles including “Closing Argument: The Lawyer’s Crowning Achievement,” Trial, Vol. 34, No. 4, p. 70 (1998); “My Scariest Moment in Court,” Trial, Vol. 35, No. 2, p. 72 (1999); and “Defeating the Eight-Hour Rule in Anesthesia Cases,” Trial, Vol. 36, No. 5, p. 48 (2000).

In 2004 and 2005, Kevin was named a “Leading Lawyer” by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, publisher of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer. This award recognizes Kevin as one of the top 5% of lawyers in Illinois practicing in the field of personal injury and medical negligence.

Mr. Burke received his law degree from Chicago Kent College of Law in 1979. He then served as a law clerk to Justice Francis S. Lorenz of the Illinois Appellate Court. From 1982 to 1990, Kevin was a trial attorney for an insurance defense firm in Chicago. His practice there concentrated on the defense of medical negligence cases and product liability actions.

Kevin’s main areas of practice include medical malpractice, aviation liability, automobile liability and product liability.