Rodney King
Part of the legal team that secured a $3.8 million civil judgment in 1994 following the beating that shocked the nation.
KPIX CBS News Bay Area · September 29, 2026
John Burris
John Burris, Nisenbaum & Curry · Oakland, California
Civil-rights attorney and legal analyst.
John Burris represented Rodney King and Oscar Grant’s family and served as co-counsel in the Oakland Riders litigation. He explains police accountability, civil-rights claims and the court decisions behind the news.
LOCAL & REGIONAL COVERAGE
Explore newspaper coverage and published work in Writing & Press.
NATIONAL PROGRAMS & MEDIA
Good Morning AmericaTODAYCBS MorningsNBC Nightly NewsCNNMS NOW / MSNBCFOX NewsCourt TVPBS · FRONTLINEWBUR · On Point
CIVIL-RIGHTS CASEWORK
Rodney King, Oscar Grant and the Oakland Riders case.
From Rodney King to Oscar Grant’s family and the Oakland Riders litigation, John Burris brings firsthand experience with cases that reshaped the national debate over policing, race and accountability.
50+years in the legal profession
1,000+police misconduct victims represented
20+years of television commentary
Oscar Grant
Represented Grant’s family after the fatal BART police shooting, a story later depicted in Fruitvale Station.
The Oakland Riders
Co-counsel in the litigation that brought federal oversight and a sustained effort to reform Oakland’s police department.
National recognition
California’s Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, 2020. Berkeley Law’s Citation Award, 2026.
A DISTINGUISHED CAREER
Berkeley Law’s highest honor.
Three Hall of Fame recognitions.
Berkeley Law Citation Award · 2026
California Association of Black Lawyers Hall of Fame · 2026
California Lawyers Association Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame · 2020
National Bar Association Hall of Fame · 2017
EXPERT COMMENTARY
The legal issues behind your story.
John is available to discuss news across his areas of expertise, including stories unrelated to his clients or cases.
Immigration & due process
ICE enforcement, detention, constitutional protections and access to federal courts.
Police accountability
Use of force, racial profiling, civil-rights lawsuits and court-ordered police reform.
Civil rights & public protest
Constitutional rights, free expression, arrests and government accountability.
Courts & government accountability
Compliance with court orders, judicial independence and the impact of litigation on civil rights.
Mental health & policing
Police encounters involving mental health crises and the rights of vulnerable people.
Discrimination & equal protection
Racial discrimination, workplace rights and access to justice.