High Profile: Ed Burke, Jr., Hamptons Attorney

Attorney Edward D. Burke Jr. has a time-tested reputation as a vigorous defense attorney, representing his clients both in the courtroom and the court of public opinion. With a client list that reads like the “who’s who” of the East End, Burke has earned the badge of “Celebrity Mr. Fix It” in the Hamptons.

Burke is our neighbor on the East End, residing in Sag Harbor, where he’s also operated his law practice, Edward Burke Jr. & Associates, since 2005. After securing his juris doctorate from St. John’s University Law School, Burke spent seven years as a prosecutor with the Suffolk County district attorney’s office.

During his time as an associate district attorney, Burke helped lock up serious criminals, guilty of crimes in Suffolk. He worked with the Suffolk County district attorney’s Major Crime Bureau, which was tasked with overseeing investigations and prosecutions of serious and complex felony cases, including robbery, sexual assault, burglary and felony driving while intoxicated.

After gaining valuable experience in the courtroom with the bureau, Burke left the district attorney’s office to pursue a career in private practice in 1996.

“The time I spent in the district attorney’s office was invaluable,” he says. “The preparation skills, the trial work and certainly the relationships built have guided me every single day of my career.”

While you can often find Burke in the courtroom, it’s also likely you’ll see him on the pages of the New York-Metropolitan media. His court cases are often high-profile, earning space on the pages of The New York Times and the New York Post, from Newsday to this feature in Dan’s Papers.

Burke’s clients and fellow attorneys alike have acclaimed his approach to his cases, but it is his philosophy that has set him apart. Burke’s approach is twofold, first providing legal representation that bolsters the strengths of his clients’ cases and pokes holes in the weaknesses of the opposing party.

“I believe a strong work ethic and availability for clients are key components of a successful law practice,” he says. “No matter who you are representing, give what you would want if it were you seated across the table. This philosophy has helped me best serve my clients and their specific needs throughout my career.”

In addition to his work as an attorney, Burke is a well-known local resident involved in community affairs. He and his law firm have remained committed to bettering the East End and their hometown of Sag Harbor, bolstering nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, as well as other philanthropic endeavors. Burke sits on the board of Southampton Youth Services,

Burke was honored in 2004 by the Independent Group Housing League of Suffolk County, which helps assist the developmentally disabled community. He is also an active member in various East End community groups, such as The Elks, Sag Harbor Knights of Columbus, Noyac Civic Council and the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce.

“The East End, in large measure, is word of mouth, meaning that actions and reputation speak for you. Growing up in Sag Harbor and now raising my family here gives me tremendous pride, just as my wife, Tricia, and our three boys inspire me to do good every day,” he says. “The East End is an incredible place to live, and appreciate, 365 days of the year.”

“It has been an honor and a privilege to be involved in organizations like Southampton Youth Services,” he continues. “They’ve been an incredible addition to our East End, as someone who grew up here. There was one point that our children did not have a venue like this. The place is near and dear to me, and it offers our youth many things year-round.”

In their free time, Burke and his wife spend time with local friends and family. He is a frequent patron at 75 Main in Southampton and enjoys supporting local businesses year-round on the East End, even during the colder months. For him, the East End lifestyle has some of its most precious moments during the winter time, when tourism has slowed and the pace of the quaint, Twin Forks villages slow.

“Our life on the East End is only enhanced by our friends and family, who give us plenty of incentive to appreciate how precious life is on the East End,” concludes Burke.

Todd Shapiro is an award-winning publicist and associated publisher of Dan’s Papers.