Best Lawyers logo
  • Lawyers
  • Methodology
  • NEW! Ones to Watch
  • Partnerships
  • Nominate a Lawyer
  • Log In
  • Lawyers
    • Advanced Search
    • COVID-19 Assistance
    • Featured Ones to Watch
    • Lawyer of the Year
    • Highlighted Lawyers
    • Nominate a Lawyer
  • Methodology
    • Overview
    • Ones to Watch
    • Editorial Timelines
    • Practice Areas
    • Publicizing Guidelines
    • FAQ
  • Publications
    • Connecticut
    • Injury & Malpractice
    • Pennsylvania
    • Georgia
    • Colorado
    • Family Law
    • New York Area
    • Canada
    • South Florida
    • Southern California
    • Northern California
    • Tampa
    • Midwest
  • Legal Insights
    • Featured Articles
    • In the News
    • Advisory Board
    • Meet the Board
    • Press & Events
  • About
    • Global Presence
    • Company History
    • Leadership
  • Ones to Watch
  • Partnerships
  • Nominate a Lawyer
  • Log In Log In
  • Nominate a Lawyer
  • Log In

Lawyer Profile

Image of Richard F. Burke, Jr.

Richard F. Burke, Jr.

Clifford Law Offices
  • Recognized Since:
    2015
  • Recognized in:
    Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Law School:
    DePaul University
  • Website:
    http://www.cliffordlaw.com
  • Languages:
    English
  • Location:
    120 North LaSalle Street, 36th Floor
    Chicago, IL 60602
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

ATTORNEY FOR PRODUCT LIABILITY AND AVIATION LAW

Richard Burke is a partner at Clifford Law Offices. He is an outstanding product liability attorney and one of the most respected aviation liability attorneys in Chicago. Mr. Burke is experienced in many complex practice areas including medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, heavy truck litigation, product liability, aviation liability, aviation litigation, airline liability, and other forms of transportation liability.

Over his decades of work at Clifford Law Offices, he has obtained multiple million-dollar-plus settlements in truck collision cases, including an $11 million resolution for a client with catastrophic permanent injuries. He also recently settled a $2 million nursing home claim and has settled several complex medical malpractice cases, some on the eve of trial.

A tireless worker, Mr. Burke stays on task with the most difficult of cases. He is a quiet, behind-the-scenes leader who knows how to get things done. From establishing groundbreaking liability in sport utility vehicle rollovers to negligent product design and operation of jumbo jet passenger aircrafts, he explores every angle of his cases whether it be researching case law across the country or garnering experts from the other side of the globe. Mr. Burke uncovers the answers to each issue, leading him to many successful verdicts at trial.

Mr. Burke regularly litigates cases involving a wide array of product defects, including motor vehicle rollovers, seat failures, tire defects, brake failures, fuel system fires, and unsafe all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, helmets, and lawnmowers. He also frequently handles cases resulting from defects in factory equipment, as well as construction site hazards, tractor-trailer truck collisions, and medical negligence claims. He has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of seriously injured clients over the past 25 years.

AIRLINE LITIGATION VERDICTS

Mr. Burke tried the case of a private jet that crashed at Palwaukee Municipal Airport before a Cook County jury on behalf of the family of the pilot who was killed in the crash. Following a five-week trial, the jury handed down a $10.45 million verdict in just four hours, finding the airport 90 percent at fault for failing to provide a proper runway safety area.

In another airline litigation trial, he tried the case involving a small plane that crashed outside Chicago. Mr. Burke obtained a $6 million verdict on behalf of a young female passenger who was a retail sales manager.

His accomplishments as an aviation law attorney extend to Canada, where he handled a plane crash case that occurred in Ontario. He filed suit in both the United States and Canada, successfully settling the case in Canada for $4 million.

Mr. Burke received an $11 million settlement in the death of an executive who was killed in a small corporate jet crash.

PRODUCT LIABILITY CASES

Mr. Burke has handled many wrongful death and personal injury cases against the major manufacturers of motor vehicles. Having taken dozens of depositions and reviewed thousands of pages of records involving SUV design and safety, he has become the go-to guy in rollover cases. For instance, he joined Robert Clifford in a case involving the rollover of a sport utility vehicle where a 15-year-old girl was severely injured and two teenage girls were killed when the SUV rolled over on a Chicago expressway. Burke and Clifford recovered a $22 million settlement against Ford Motor Company, a Ford dealership, and a tire retailer and manufacturer. He also obtained a $3.5 million settlement for the death of an eight-year-old boy that resulted from a defective design in the rear passenger area of his family’s conversion van as well as recovering a $3.45 million settlement on behalf of a girl who was rendered a quadriplegic when she was struck by a police car.

Mr. Burke has also litigated cases in Canada concerning the drowning of two Americans and a third who survived the tragic capsizing of a hunting boat in Quebec.

Burke recently obtained a settlement in excess of $3 million for the surviving family of a golfer found underneath a golf cart that apparently had accelerated unexpectedly due to design defects in the accelerator pedal assembly components.

One of Mr. Burke’s most memorable trials involved the death of six-year-old Hiroaki Ishiguro. He came to the United States with his parents who were set to return to their homeland, Japan, in just two weeks. Tragically, Hiroaki was struck and killed by a garbage truck while riding his bicycle. The truck driver did not see him because his vehicle was without proper side and back mirrors to spot children nearby. He received a $6 million jury verdict for the family who had already moved back to Japan after Hiroaki’s father completed a fellowship in orthopedic surgery.

Mr. Burke initially acquired his trial skills as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County for 12 years. He rose up the ranks among his peers to become the supervisor of felony trial prosecutors in two busy suburban courthouses. At that point, he decided to use those litigation skills in the civil arena, and he has been a valuable member of the Clifford Law Offices’ team of Chicago personal injury attorneys ever since.

He went to Loyola University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology. He later went on to the University of Chicago where he earned a Master’s in Business Administration.

“My type of work is particularly gratifying, helping people whose lives have been catastrophically altered as a result of serious injury through someone’s negligence,” Burke says. “Sometimes the most rewarding aspect of my work is comforting and counseling people shortly after traumatic occurrences or incidents when they really don’t know where to turn or how to deal with monstrous medical bills, an inability to work, and sometimes they even are unable to engage in basic daily care needs.”

“I like to think that Clifford Law Offices is there for people who need us at their worst hour.”

We are proud to have him on our team of experienced, dedicated attorneys.

Continue Reading
  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Lawyer Practice Areas
  • Firm Details

Lawyer Bio

ATTORNEY FOR PRODUCT LIABILITY AND AVIATION LAW

Richard Burke is a partner at Clifford Law Offices. He is an outstanding product liability attorney and one of the most respected aviation liability attorneys in Chicago. Mr. Burke is experienced in many complex practice areas including medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, heavy truck litigation, product liability, aviation liability, aviation litigation, airline liability, and other forms of transportation liability.

Over his decades of work at Clifford Law Offices, he has obtained multiple million-dollar-plus settlements in truck collision cases, including an $11 million resolution for a client with catastrophic permanent injuries. He also recently settled a $2 million nursing home claim and has settled several complex medical malpractice cases, some on the eve of trial.

A tireless worker, Mr. Burke stays on task with the most difficult of cases. He is a quiet, behind-the-scenes leader who knows how to get things done. From establishing groundbreaking liability in sport utility vehicle rollovers to negligent product design and operation of jumbo jet passenger aircrafts, he explores every angle of his cases whether it be researching case law across the country or garnering experts from the other side of the globe. Mr. Burke uncovers the answers to each issue, leading him to many successful verdicts at trial.

Mr. Burke regularly litigates cases involving a wide array of product defects, including motor vehicle rollovers, seat failures, tire defects, brake failures, fuel system fires, and unsafe all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, helmets, and lawnmowers. He also frequently handles cases resulting from defects in factory equipment, as well as construction site hazards, tractor-trailer truck collisions, and medical negligence claims. He has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of seriously injured clients over the past 25 years.

AIRLINE LITIGATION VERDICTS

Mr. Burke tried the case of a private jet that crashed at Palwaukee Municipal Airport before a Cook County jury on behalf of the family of the pilot who was killed in the crash. Following a five-week trial, the jury handed down a $10.45 million verdict in just four hours, finding the airport 90 percent at fault for failing to provide a proper runway safety area.

In another airline litigation trial, he tried the case involving a small plane that crashed outside Chicago. Mr. Burke obtained a $6 million verdict on behalf of a young female passenger who was a retail sales manager.

His accomplishments as an aviation law attorney extend to Canada, where he handled a plane crash case that occurred in Ontario. He filed suit in both the United States and Canada, successfully settling the case in Canada for $4 million.

Mr. Burke received an $11 million settlement in the death of an executive who was killed in a small corporate jet crash.

PRODUCT LIABILITY CASES

Mr. Burke has handled many wrongful death and personal injury cases against the major manufacturers of motor vehicles. Having taken dozens of depositions and reviewed thousands of pages of records involving SUV design and safety, he has become the go-to guy in rollover cases. For instance, he joined Robert Clifford in a case involving the rollover of a sport utility vehicle where a 15-year-old girl was severely injured and two teenage girls were killed when the SUV rolled over on a Chicago expressway. Burke and Clifford recovered a $22 million settlement against Ford Motor Company, a Ford dealership, and a tire retailer and manufacturer. He also obtained a $3.5 million settlement for the death of an eight-year-old boy that resulted from a defective design in the rear passenger area of his family’s conversion van as well as recovering a $3.45 million settlement on behalf of a girl who was rendered a quadriplegic when she was struck by a police car.

Mr. Burke has also litigated cases in Canada concerning the drowning of two Americans and a third who survived the tragic capsizing of a hunting boat in Quebec.

Burke recently obtained a settlement in excess of $3 million for the surviving family of a golfer found underneath a golf cart that apparently had accelerated unexpectedly due to design defects in the accelerator pedal assembly components.

One of Mr. Burke’s most memorable trials involved the death of six-year-old Hiroaki Ishiguro. He came to the United States with his parents who were set to return to their homeland, Japan, in just two weeks. Tragically, Hiroaki was struck and killed by a garbage truck while riding his bicycle. The truck driver did not see him because his vehicle was without proper side and back mirrors to spot children nearby. He received a $6 million jury verdict for the family who had already moved back to Japan after Hiroaki’s father completed a fellowship in orthopedic surgery.

Mr. Burke initially acquired his trial skills as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County for 12 years. He rose up the ranks among his peers to become the supervisor of felony trial prosecutors in two busy suburban courthouses. At that point, he decided to use those litigation skills in the civil arena, and he has been a valuable member of the Clifford Law Offices’ team of Chicago personal injury attorneys ever since.

He went to Loyola University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology. He later went on to the University of Chicago where he earned a Master’s in Business Administration.

“My type of work is particularly gratifying, helping people whose lives have been catastrophically altered as a result of serious injury through someone’s negligence,” Burke says. “Sometimes the most rewarding aspect of my work is comforting and counseling people shortly after traumatic occurrences or incidents when they really don’t know where to turn or how to deal with monstrous medical bills, an inability to work, and sometimes they even are unable to engage in basic daily care needs.”

“I like to think that Clifford Law Offices is there for people who need us at their worst hour.”

We are proud to have him on our team of experienced, dedicated attorneys.

Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Additional Information

Education:

  • DePaul University , graduated 1978
  • Loyola University Chicago, graduated 1975
  • University of Chicago, graduated 1988

Bar Admissions:

  • Illinois, U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit 1988
  • Illinois, U.S. District Court Northern District of 1988
  • Illinois, U.S. District Court Northern District of Trial Bar 1978
  • Illinois

Affiliations:

  • Chicago Bar Association (CBA) - Member, Committee on Judicial Evaluation, 1993 - 1999
  • American Bar Association (ABA), Section of Litigation - Member
  • American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA) - Member
  • Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) - Member
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) - Member

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
 

Awards:

  • Best Lawyers in America, 2015-Present
  • Martindale-Hubbell, A.V. Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence, 2019
  • Leading Lawyers, 2018
  • Leading Lawyers, 2017
  • Selected to Illinois Super Lawyers list, 2005, 2007-2020

Additional Information:

Published Works
  • Cook County State's Attorney's Office, "Use of Experts in Civil Cases," 2001
  • Chicago Bar Association, "Closing Argument Law," 2000
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, "Motor Vehicle Product Liability Cases," 2000
  • Illinois State Bar Association Trial Techniques Course - "Objections During Trial," 2000
  • "Cost Effective Trial Exhibits," 1999
  • "Litigating Personal Injury Cases," 1998
  • "Maximizing Damages," 1996
Classes/Seminars
  • Lecture and article, "Opening Statement in Medical Malpractice Cases," 1997
  • Tort Law Update Seminar, "Product Liability Cases," 1997
  • Instructor, Federal Trial Bar Advocacy Training, 1993-1995
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Lawyer Practice Areas

Key: Awarded in Best Lawyers Not Currently Awarded for this Area in Best Lawyers

Firm Details

Image for Clifford Law Offices View Firm Profile
Clifford Law Offices
http://www.cliffordlaw.com
 
Headquarters
120 North LaSalle Street, 36th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 899.9090
 
Add Comment
In making your comments, please do not refer to a pending legal matter.
(*) Required Fields
There was an error during saving, please try again.
If you continue to get this message, please contact us at info@bestlawyers.com or 803.648.0300 for assistance.
Please complete the captcha then submit.
Your comment was saved successfully!
Thank you for your feedback.
  • Find a Lawyer
  • Nominate a Lawyer
  • Legal Insights
  • Contact Us
Lawyers 
  • Advanced Search
  • COVID-19 Assistance
  • Featured Ones to Watch
  • Lawyer of the Year
  • Highlighted Lawyers
  • Nominate a Lawyer
  • Find a Lawyer
Methodology
  • Overview
  • Ones to Watch
  • Editorial Timelines
  • Practice Areas
  • Publicizing Guidelines
  • FAQ
Publications
  • Business Editions
  • Regional Editions
  • Partnerships
  • Become a Contributor
Legal Insights
  • Featured Articles
  • In the News
  • Advisory Board
  • Meet the Board
  • Press & Events
  • Best Law Firms
  • Subscribe
About
  • Global Presence
  • Company History
  • Leadership
  • Founders
  • Press Releases
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
My Account
  • Log In
  • Store
  • Marketing Guidance
Best Lawyers Best Lawyers logo +1-803-648-0300
801 Broad Street, Suite 950 Augusta, GA 30901
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Lawyer Directory
  • Best Law Firms

© 2010-2021 Best Lawyers — All Rights Reserved.

BL Icon

LEGAL INSIGHTS

by Best Lawyers®



Get the latest insights on the news, trends, and people that shape the global legal field with our weekly email digest.




Subscribe



PRIVACY POLICY

Thank you for subscribing.