Edward D. Burke, Jr. ’90
Principal, Edward Burke, Jr. and Associates
Co-owner of “LT Burger in the Harbor” w/Chef Laurent
Tourondel
(Main Street, Sag Harbor, New York)
“Four Chef’s Hats and Good Sound Counsel”
“With gourmet burgers being all the rage, this is by far the best
burger that I’ve had in twenty years,” exclaimed the middle aged
patron to her friend seated at the table alongside of me at Edward
D. Burke, Jr.’s ’90 “LT Burger in the Harbor”. As I devoured
my Blue Cheeseburger, Sweet Potato Fries and Chocolate Milkshake, I
could not help but agree. LT Burger in the Harbor is the
latest culinary brainchild of St. John’s Law Alum Edward D. Burke,
Jr. and Chef Laurant Tourondel world re- knowned for his critically
acclaimed culinary ventures in NYC, Las Vegas, France and his work
on prime time television’s “The Food Network”. Being in the
hospitality business is not a stretch for Mr. Burke, as his family
was in the business as the owners of the wildly popular nightspot
The Salty Dog in the mid-eighties.
Mr. Burke, the son of the Hon. Edward Burke ’69, grew up on Long
Island’s East End knowing that he wanted to someday return to the
seaside community in which he was raised. After attending St.
John’s Law, as did his father and sister Denise A. Burke ’88, Mr.
Burke spent a brief spell at a NYC firm and a seven year tenure as
a prosecutor with the late Hon. James M. Catterson, Jr. ’58 at the
Suffolk County District Attorney’s office. These experiences,
coupled with his St. John’s legal education, served him well when
he established his defense firm – Edward Burke Jr. and
Associates.
Reflecting on his days at St. John’s Law, Mr. Burke really enjoyed
Law School noting that he lived off campus with the same students
(Paul A. Murphy ’90 and James Saladino ’90) for each of his three
years. The three remain close to this day frequently sharing
a laugh about their legendary Halloween parties that carried into
All Saints Day. However, Law School was not just a
party. Studying Criminal Procedure and Criminal Trial
Practice under Professor Frank S. Polestino provided the
educational foundation of a thriving defense practice today.
Although not an estate practitioner, Mr. Burke notes that “he has
formed a special bond with Associate Dean Peggy V. Turano who
“wrote the book” on estate practice and instills upon her students
the attributes of perseverance and diligence.” These same
attributes are life lessons that Mr. Burke teaches to his three
boys; E.J., Brendan and Matthew.
Managing a defense legal practice in a community whose population
multiplies exponentially in the summertime is no easy task.
Based upon the large number of municipalities and associated legal
codes, “there is a tremendous volume of work, from felonies to
traffic violations during the high season” noted Burke. Court
sessions often see one hundred cases in a single day. With
large blocks of time spent in the courthouse, the daily workload is
often addressed long into the night. “Being a criminal
defense attorney means being on-call and accessible to your clients
when they need you most – in court and often the police station –
all in all it adds up to a lot of hours out of the
house. Simple lapses of judgment, or a mistake, should
not ruin an individual’s life – my Law Practice is often about
second chances,” explains Burke. Pro bono work is provided to
the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League and the Sag Harbor
Volunteer Fire Department. Downtime is spent with his wife
Tricia, and the boys, enjoying the tranquility and joys of Long
Island’s East End.
Looking to the future, Mr. Burke aspires towards the growth of both
his restaurant ventures and his legal practice. Counsel to
recent grads encapsulates this wisdom, “Getting accepted to St.
John’s Law is no easy feat, over your time at alma mater you have
persevered through challenging times and exhibited steadfast
determination in the pursuit of a legal career. Had you not
done so, you probably would not have graduated. The job
market is tough, but you must push forward to achieve your goals –
it’s the St. John’s Law way.”