{{short description|American lawyer}} {{for|the politician|John Burris (politician)}}{{Resume-like|date=December 2025}}{{Infobox person | name = John Burris | image = <!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:John L Burris.jpg]] --> | caption = | birth_name = John Leonard Burris | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|05|08}} | birth_place = [[Vallejo, California]], United States | alma_mater = [[Golden Gate University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]])<br />[[University of California, Berkeley]] ([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]], [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]]) | occupation = [[Lawyer|Attorney]] | spouse = Cheryl Amana Burris | website = {{Official website|https://bncllaw.com/}} }} '''John Leonard Burris''' (born May 8, 1945)<ref name="findlaw">{{Cite web |url=http://pview.findlaw.com/view/2867972_1?channel=LP |title=John L. Burris Burris, John L. - an Oakland, California (CA) Police Misconduct Lawyer |access-date=2009-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170727171757/http://pview.findlaw.com/view/2867972_1?channel=LP |archive-date=2017-07-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=California Births, 1905 - 1995 |url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461?c=search&first=John&last=Burris |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821081101/http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461?c=search&first=John&last=Burris |archive-date=2012-08-21 |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> is an [[Americans|American]] [[civil rights]] attorney, based in [[Oakland, California]], known for representing plaintiffs in [[police brutality]] cases. The Burris law firm practices employment, criminal defense, DUI, personal injury, and landlord tenant law.
Burris's practice grew notably when he represented [[Rodney King]] in his civil rights lawsuit against the [[Los Angeles Police Department]] and won a $3.8 million judgment.<ref name="abajournal.com">{{Cite web|last1=Weiss |first1=Debra Cassens |url=http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/civil_right_lawyer_reflects_on_former_client_rodney_king_who_died_sunday_at|title=Civil Rights Lawyer Reflects on Former Client Rodney King, Who Died Sunday at 47 |work=ABA Journal }}</ref>
Other notable clients Burris has represented include [[Tupac Shakur]],<ref name="sfist.com">{{Cite web |url=http://sfist.com/2016/05/25/john_burris_profile_mario_woods.php |title=From Rodney King to Oscar Grant to Mario Woods, Oakland Attorney John Burris on Taking Cases That Change Police Departments: SFist |access-date=2018-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105235019/http://sfist.com/2016/05/25/john_burris_profile_mario_woods.php |archive-date=2017-11-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Latrell Sprewell]],<ref name="sfgate.com">{{Cite web | url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Sprewell-Pleads-Not-Guilty-in-Accident-3009771.php |title = Sprewell Pleads Not Guilty in Accident / Basketball star accused in reckless driving case| work=SFGATE |date = 1998-04-08}}</ref> [[Gary Payton]],<ref name="mynewsla.com">{{Cite web | url=https://mynewsla.com/crime/2017/07/18/money-grab-rejected-as-jury-clears-ex-laker-star-in-alleged-assault/ |title = 'Money grab' rejected as jury clears ex-Laker star in alleged assault|date = 2017-07-19}}</ref> [[Keyshawn Johnson]],<ref name="eastbaytimes.com">{{Cite web | url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/02/24/famous-lawyer-after-a-better-world/ | title=Famous lawyer after a better world| date=2008-02-24}}</ref> and [[Barry Bonds]].<ref name="eastbaytimes.com"/>
==Early life and education== Burris was born in May 1945 in [[Vallejo, California]]. He graduated from [[Vallejo High School]] in 1963.<ref name="timesheraldonline.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_17033757 |title=Attorney in BART slaying case to speak at Solano Community College's MLK event - Vallejo Times Herald |website=www.timesheraldonline.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108051857/http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_17033757 |archive-date=2014-01-08}}</ref><ref name="insidebayarea.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_8366079?source=rss|title = Best Tips and References}}</ref> He attended [[Solano Community College]] in the mid-1960s and later earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from [[Golden Gate University]].<ref name="timesheraldonline.com"/> Burris graduated from UC Berkeley Graduate School of Business (MBA) in 1970 and [[UC Berkeley School of Law]] in 1973 with a [[Juris Doctor]]. He worked for Chicago law firm [[Jenner & Block]] immediately after law school, and became a member of the [[California Bar]] in 1976.<ref name="findlaw"/><ref name="calsb">{{Cite web | url=http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=69888 |title = John Leonard Burris #69888 - Attorney Licensee Search}}</ref>
==Career== Burris's work in police brutality cases began in 1979 when he was an investigator in the district attorney's office working on the case of the killing of 15-year-old Melvin Black.<ref name="whiting">{{cite news |date=2005-06-05 |author=Sam Whiting |url = https://www.sfgate.com/magazine/article/oakland-s-johnnie-cochran-john-burris-is-the-2630043.php | title = Oakland's Johnnie Cochran | newspaper = [[San Francisco Chronicle]] | access-date = 2009-01-10}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1979-09-15 |title=Article clipped from Oakland Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/175833333/ |access-date=2025-07-13 |work=Oakland Tribune |pages=16 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Burris's 1999 book ''Blue vs. Black'' is about police brutality against African-Americans.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 30, 1999 |title=Blue vs. Black by Catherine Whitney, John L. Burris, Whitney Burris |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780312203924 |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Publishers Weekly |type=Book review}}</ref>
Burris "has earned millions of dollars" in filing hundreds of police brutality and high-profile lawsuits, including a $3.8 million judgment for [[Rodney King]] and a $42,000 settlement in a suit brought on behalf of [[Tupac Shakur]].<ref name="ap">{{cite news|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/us_news/2009/Jan/27/civil_rights_lawyer_takes_on_calif__shooting_case.html|title=Civil Rights Lawyer Takes on Grant Shooting|last=Elias|first=Paul|date=2009-01-27|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>
Burris won a $11.3 million judgment at trial against the [[San Jose Police Department]] after an officer shot Hung Lam in the back causing him to become paralyzed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-12-21 |title=Jury awards $11.3 million to San Jose man shot in the back by officer |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2015/12/21/jury-awards-11-3-million-to-san-jose-man-shot-in-the-back-by-officer/ |access-date=2018-03-23 |work=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Melvin Black === On March 17, 1979, an African American teenager, Melvin Black, was killed by the [[Oakland Police Department]] in Oakland, California.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1979-09-15 |title=Cops' Judgement questioned in youth's death Sep 1979 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-cops-judgeme/52479845/ |access-date=2025-07-13 |work=The San Francisco Examiner |pages=1 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1979-04-03 |title=Curious lack of interest in Melvin Black shooting |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-curious-lack-of-interest/175833549/ |access-date=2025-07-13 |work=Oakland Tribune |pages=22 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The community was outraged, and on March 30 Mayor [[Lionel Wilson (politician)|Lionel Wilson]] and the city council appointed Burris to conduct an independent investigation.<ref name=":0" /> After a five-month investigation, it was discovered that the physical evidence did not match the officers’ statements.<ref name=":0" />
=== Rodney King civil trial === {{Expand section|date=December 2021}} Burris's practice grew notably when he represented Rodney King in his civil rights lawsuit against the [[Los Angeles Police Department]] and won $3.8 million judgment.
=== Oakland Riders Case === {{main|Allen v. City of Oakland}}
Burris has represented plaintiffs in a number of high-profile lawsuits against California police departments, including the "[[Allen v. City of Oakland|Oakland Riders]]" case, in which a gang of Oakland officers was found to be planting evidence on citizens, causing the federal government to investigate and oversee the [[Oakland Police Department]] to this day.<ref name="ap" />
=== Oscar Grant Case === {{main|Shooting of Oscar Grant}}
Burris represented Oscar Grant's mother in her lawsuit against [[Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Department|BART Police]] after [[Bay Area Rapid Transit]] Officer Mehserle shot a 22-year-old in the back while he was handcuffed on the [[Fruitvale BART]] train platform in Oakland on January 1, 2009.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |title=BART strikes $1.3 million settlement with Oscar Grant's mother |url=https://oaklandnorth.net/2011/06/29/bart-strikes-1-3-million-settlement-with-oscar-grants-mother/ |access-date=2018-03-23 |work=Oakland North |language=en-US}}</ref> The case is depicted in the 2013 movie ''[[Fruitvale Station]]''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Scott |first=A. O. |date=2013-07-11 |title='Fruitvale Station' Is Based on the Story of Oscar Grant III |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/movies/fruitvale-station-is-based-on-the-story-of-oscar-grant-iii.html |access-date=2018-03-23 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
=== Mario Woods === Burris represented Mario Woods's mother in her case against the [[San Francisco Police Department]] after a group of officers were captured on video shooting Mario on December 2, 2015. The shooting led to large protests throughout the Bay Area and resulted in the resignation of the SFPD Chief of Police Greg Suhr.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |title=SF Police Chief Greg Suhr Resigns Amid Racial Tensions |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/San-Francisco-Police-Chief-Greg-Suhr-Resigns-Mayor-380196131.html |access-date=2018-03-23 |work=NBC Bay Area |language=en}}</ref>
=== Celeste Guap === Burris represented Celeste Guap (also known as Jasmine Abuslin) in her cases against [[Northern California]] Police Departments after several officers exploited and sexually assaulted her when she was underage.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2017-05-31 |title=Oakland Agrees To $989,000 Settlement In Police Sex Scandal Case |url=http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/05/31/oakland-police-sex-scandal/ |access-date=2018-03-23 |language=en}}</ref> Burris won a $989,000 settlement for Guap against the Oakland Police Department, whose officers also face criminal charges for sexual misconduct with a minor.<ref name=":1" />
===Brandon T.=== In 1996, Burris defended [[pro bono]] Brandon T., a six-year-old [[Richmond, California]] boy accused of and prosecuted for [[attempted murder]] of an infant.<ref name="Knapp1998">{{cite web|last=Knapp |first=Don|title=Very young killers create quandary for legal system|url=http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/28/defending.small.killers/index.html|work=CNN.com|date=1998-08-28|publisher=CNN|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref><ref name="frontline">{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/little/etc/script.html|title=The Littlest Criminal|date=1997-05-13|publisher=[[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]]|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>
===Agustin Gonsalez===
In March 2021, Burris and his associate Ben Nisenbaum announced a $3.3 million settlement of a lawsuit against the city of [[Hayward, California]]. Burris represented the family of Agustin Gonsalez, who was shot to death by two Hayward police officers in 2018. The officers were responding to a call reporting that a man was threatening people with a knife. The officers killed Gonzalez, and then discovered that he was carrying a small safety razor. He had 14 bullet wounds. Gonzalez, 29, was an employee of [[Tesla, Inc.]], and had two children. His family reported that he was undergoing a mental health crisis.<ref>{{cite news | last =Hegarty | first =Peter | title =A family's pain: $3.3 million from Hayward won't bring back son | newspaper =[[San Jose Mercury News]] | location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =March 17, 2021 | url =https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/03/17/family-to-get-3-3-million-over-fatal-hayward-police-shooting | accessdate =April 3, 2021 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Burris is married to Cheryl Amana-Burris, a law professor at [[North Carolina Central University]].<ref name="whiting" /><ref name="dailyjournal.com">{{cite web|title=Archived copy|url=http://www.dailyjournal.com/cle/print.cfm?eid%3D902582%26evid%3D1|url-status=dead|accessdate=2014-01-08|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108053217/http://www.dailyjournal.com/cle/print.cfm?eid=902582&evid=1|archivedate=2014-01-08}}</ref> and lives in [[Oakland Hills, Oakland, California]].
== Awards and honors ==
* The National Bar Association Hall of Fame Inductee 2017 * Moot court trial attorney Stanford University (1996 – present) * Hasting College of Law Trial Advocacy Program (1980 – present) * Member, Oakland Municipal Court, Pro tem, 1993 Member: Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Presently, board Member, National Police Accountability Project President, California Association of Black Lawyers, 1979-1980
=== Recent Presentations ===
* Chapman college Law School, National Justice Symposium, Status of Policing in California, Orange * National Bar Association seminar”Police Litigation: Recognizing and bringing Section 1983 cases”, panelist; St. Louis, Mo, July 2016 * Ninth Circuit Annual Conference,”Ferguson and Where Do We Go From Here” Panelist; Big Sky, Montana July 2016 * Podcast, Police Brutality in This Golden State by this Golden State, Randy Shandobil, June 2016 * Empire National Mock Trials Honors, Keynote speaker, San Francisco, Ca November 2015
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.johnburrislaw.com/ Burris Law firm Website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burris, John}} [[Category:20th-century African-American lawyers]] [[Category:21st-century African-American lawyers]] [[Category:American civil rights lawyers]] [[Category:Lawyers from Oakland, California]] [[Category:Activists from Oakland, California]] [[Category:Civil rights activists from California]] [[Category:African-American civil rights activists]] [[Category:Police brutality in the United States|>Burris]] [[Category:People associated with Jenner & Block]] [[Category:Golden Gate University alumni]] [[Category:UC Berkeley School of Law alumni]] [[Category:1945 births]] [[Category:Living people]]