Liza Burke

Meet Attorney Liza Burke

Liza Burke

Liza Burke’s 20+ years of knowledge and experience are garnered from hundreds of prior clients and cases. Ms. Burke has represented individuals from all walks of life and all types of social, cultural, and financial backgrounds. She has been the Seattle defense attorney or advocate for professionals such as business executives, doctors, sports figures, and lawyers. 

She has also been the attorney for grandparents, students and young children. Ms. Burke has made hundreds of court appearances in superior, municipal, and juvenile courts throughout western Washington and was trained in the high-volume courts of Seattle. She has tried cases with very poor prospects of success and obtained “not guilty” verdicts. She has successfully negotiated complete dismissals of serious cases and other resolutions which protect her clients’ liberty and dignity.

Ms. Burke is proud that many of her client referrals come from her former opponents, prosecutors, caseworkers, and opposing counsel. She is equally proud that many of her client referrals come from her many satisfied prior clients.

To discuss your legal needs today with effective legal counsel, get in touch with our team here.

Knowledge and Experience

Ms. Burke brings the wisdom and knowledge obtained from more than 20 years of interaction with hundreds of opposing counsel and all levels of prosecutors. She has collaborated with many top-notch Washington state attorneys in settings ranging from serious, high-profile felonies to more modest legal proceedings.

Commitment to Clients

Because of her years of in-depth and varied experience, Ms. Burke’s clients can fully expect and receive excellent communication, education, strategy, advocacy and outcome. Additionally, her clients know to expect candor and fairness regarding the fees and costs for the representation.

Education

Liza Burke is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law. Admitted to practice in Washington in 1993, the majority of her legal career has focused on defending people accused of wrongdoing in criminal, civil, and educational settings. For several years, Ms. Burke has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by Washington Law and Politics Magazine in addition to being elected by her peers to serve as a leader on the prestigious governing body of the Washington State Bar Association, the WSBA Board of Governors, from 2005 to 2008.

Career

Ms. Burke began her career as a staff attorney at Society of Counsel where she successfully represented hundreds of adults and juveniles in the misdemeanor, juvenile, and felony divisions. Ms. Burke joined the AV-rated law firm of Cohen & Iaria in 2001. While there, she handled almost all of the firm’s juvenile, domestic violence cases in addition to other serious felony legal matters. Ms. Burke remained with Cohen & Iaria as a partner until 2009.

Legal Experience

Ms. Burke regularly appears in superior, juvenile, and district courts throughout western Washington. She has successfully represented hundreds of individuals charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies. She has particularly extensive experience in defending youthful offenders in juvenile and adult courts. Her juvenile court work also includes child welfare/dependency proceedings where Ms. Burke has represented mothers, fathers, third parties, and children.

Ms. Burke also has extensive experience in domestic violence matters including protection order proceedings, victim defendant representation, defendant representation, and victim representation. Her protection order experience extends to sexual assault protection orders, anti-harassment and stalking protection orders.

Community Involvement

Ms. Burke is a respected leader in the legal community. As a member of the Washington State Bar Association’s Board of Governors, she served as the board liaison to the Committee on Public Defense, Judicial Recommendation Committee, the Mandatory CLE Board, and the WSBA Criminal Law Section and Juvenile Law Section.

Ms. Burke was active in the pioneering efforts that established the statewide Juvenile Law Section for Washington attorneys, and she presented the motion for establishment of section to the Washington State Bar Association Board of Governors in June 2006.

Ms. Burke was also appointed to serve on the State Bar Association’s Trust Account and Retainers Task Force in 2005. The focus of the task force was a revision to the Rules of Professional Conduct regarding lawyer fees. The work of the task force was ultimately adopted by the Washington State Supreme Court.

She also served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Counsel Representing Accused Persons from 2006 to 2008.

Seminars and Speaking Engagements

Ms. Burke speaks at seminars and to interested groups regarding juvenile offense issues and criminal law practice. For several years, she was a guest lecturer along with the head of the King County Prosecutor’s Office Juvenile Unit at both the UW Law School and Seattle University where she jointly presented to students on the proper role of the lawyer in juvenile court.

She has served as a contributing author to the King County Bar Association’s Lawyer’s Practice Manual and is a former instructor at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. In 2007, she was the keynote speaker at the King County swearing-in ceremony for new lawyers of the Washington State Bar Association.

Professional Associations and Admissions

Ms. Burke is admitted to practice in Washington and the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. She is a member of the King County Bar Association, the Washington State Bar Association Criminal Law Section, the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Washington Defender Association.