The Law Offices of John L. Burris represents men and women of every race, every station in life. Our work in civil rights and discrimination is renowned.
The Law Offices of John L. Burris was formed in 1985. While the practice initially focused on criminal defense, it quickly shifted to an emphasis on civil rights litigation, particularly in the context of police misconduct, and racial and sexual discrimination in employment. Located in Oakland, we serve the Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento and Northern California.
Over the years, John Burris and his associated counsel have represented a number of public officials and high profile clients: Earl Sanders, the former Chief of Police of San Francisco; Rodney King; recording artist Tupac Shakur; actor Del Roy Lindo; NFL player Keyshawn Johnson; NBA players Gary Payton and Jason Kidd; and Aaron Goodwin, former sports agent for NBA phenomenon LeBron James.
Our firm has been instrumental in social reforms of police policy governing the use of canines, deadly force, hog tying, pepper spray, and other practices. Our work has also changed police department protocols for crowd control tactics and handling of the mentally impaired.
The firm has been successful in a number of class actions, including the infamous “Riders” case
