Burke, Edward M.
Chicago alderman Edward M. Burke has worked in civic and community affairs for over 25 years. His law firm, Klafter & Burke, has provided legal services to businesses such as American Airlines, Ameritech, Bank One and Harris Bank.
He is a lifelong resident of Chicago, where his father, Joseph P. Burke, was a Cook County policeman. After graduating in 1968 from DePaul University's College of Law, Burke served with the Illinois Municipal Problems Commission, the Chicago Plan Commission and the Chicago Commission on Economic Development. Alderman Burke became a member of the Chicago City Council in 1969 and represents the 14th ward of Chicago. He is Chicago's longest-serving alderman.
He is a second generation Irish-American whose grandparents on his father's side came from Kerry while his mother's family hails from Clare. A prominent figure in Chicago's Irish-American political scene, Burke is the chairman of the Irish-American partnership in Chicago and a member of the Irish Fellowship Club. Burke and his wife, Justice Anne Burke, live in Chicago. They have three adult children, Jennifer, Edward and Sarah.
Return to Legal 100
