1973
The legal career begins
A Berkeley Law graduate, John begins a career that will span corporate practice, prosecution and civil-rights advocacy.
View original source ↗HISTORY · LANDMARK CASES · ARCHIVAL VIDEO
Five decades.
An enduring civil-rights legacy.
The courtroom victories are part of the story. So are the voices heard, the institutions challenged and the reforms that followed. Explore John Burris’s career through archival recordings and the cases that helped define it.
JOHN BURRIS · ON THE RECORD
Historical television coverage.
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MILESTONES
A career that helped
change the conversation.
1979
A defining investigation
His independent investigation into the fatal police shooting of Melvin Black becomes a turning point in his civil-rights work.
View original source ↗1985
A firm built around justice
John establishes the Law Offices of John L. Burris in Oakland.
View original source ↗1994
Rodney King’s civil case
Part of the legal team that secured a $3.8 million civil jury award for Rodney King.
View original source ↗1999
Blue vs. Black
His book examines the conflict between policing and minority communities.
View original source ↗2003
The Oakland Riders settlement
John and co-counsel Jim Chanin represent 119 plaintiffs in litigation that leads to a settlement and court-supervised police reforms.
View original source ↗2009 onward
Oscar Grant’s family
John represents the family of Oscar Grant after his killing at Fruitvale BART station. His firm records a $2.8 million family settlement.
View original source ↗2026
A legacy still in motion
Berkeley Law honors John with its Citation Award, the school’s highest honor.
View original source ↗Explore original archival recordings & documentary sources
These recordings open on the original publisher’s website.
1998
Policing and civilian oversight
Berkeley Citizen · Berkeley Police Review Commission
Open original archive ↗November 18, 2010
A conversation with John Burris
UC Berkeley School of Law
Open original archive ↗2020
John Burris · Career reel
John Burris firm archive
Open original archive ↗Career documentary
John Burris: Godfather of Police Litigation
PBS KVIE · ViewFinder · Filmmaker Doug Harris
Open original archive ↗National television archive
Rodney King and the Tyre Nichols case
CNN · At This Hour with Kate Bolduan · Preserved by John’s firm
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