Burke Burns & Pinelli, Ltd.

History and client base

Founded in 1992, Burke Burns & Pinelli, Ltd. is a Chicago law firm with work across Illinois. The firm handles commercial litigation and transactional matters for government bodies, businesses, nonprofit groups, and individuals. Its lawyers work with both public and private sector clients.

Edward J. Burke, Mary Patricia Burns, and Vincent D. Pinelli founded the firm. Burns is now its president and a founding partner. Pinelli remains a founding partner, while the attorney page lists Burke in memoriam.

Public and private clients

The stated client base includes Illinois state agencies, local government agencies, municipalities, for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals. That mix fits the firm's combination of municipal, financial, corporate, and litigation work. In my opinion, the named client groups give prospective clients a useful picture of the matters the firm handles.

Litigation in trial and appellate courts

Vincent D. Pinelli handles civil and criminal litigation in state and federal courts. His work includes commercial litigation and eminent domain. Edward J. Burke also concentrated on governmental affairs and civil litigation in state and federal courts during his career.

The firm's stated litigation work covers trial and appellate matters. Civil cases commonly involve pleadings, document exchange, witness testimony, motions, and a trial when the parties do not resolve the dispute. An appeal asks a reviewing court to examine claimed legal errors in the trial court's decision.

Commercial, municipal, and property disputes

Christopher J. Hales is a partner in the litigation practice group. He concentrates on commercial litigation, eminent domain, municipal representation, insurance defense, and construction defects. Sarah A. Boeckman works in both the litigation and transaction groups, with a focus on governmental affairs, municipal law, and corporate law.

Eminent domain cases generally address a public body's authority to acquire property and the compensation due to the owner. Construction defect disputes may require contracts, plans, inspection records, and testimony about the work. Municipal representation can involve court proceedings as well as questions about public powers and local duties.

Administrative and employment matters

The practice area list also includes administrative law, employment and labor law, and public pension law. Administrative matters often begin before a public agency or hearing officer. The agency record and applicable statute can shape any later court review.

Employment and labor disputes can involve workplace policies, contracts, personnel records, and communications between the parties. Public pension matters can require close reading of statutes, plan terms, and government records. These fields fit the firm's stated work with public agencies, municipalities, businesses, and individuals.

Business, lending, and public finance work

The transaction practice covers banking and commercial lending, business and corporate law, board governance, public finance, and real estate. The firm also identifies secured lending work for borrowers and financial institutions. Its public finance work includes municipal bonds and related financing matters.

Loan and governance documents

Colin Chenoweth is an associate in the transaction and litigation groups. He concentrates mainly on transactional work, especially loan documentation and corporate governance. He works with private and public sector clients.

Loan documentation commonly identifies the debt, repayment terms, collateral, default provisions, and each party's duties. Corporate governance documents can define voting rights, officer authority, meeting procedures, and approval requirements. Careful drafting gives businesses and lenders a written record of the agreed structure.

Municipal bonds and public financing

Matthew Lewin is of counsel and focuses on municipal finance. He has worked as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, and in other legal roles on a variety of matters. Martin T. Burns also concentrates on municipal finance as part of a practice that includes governmental affairs, municipal law, corporate law, contract law, sports law, and First Amendment law.

Municipal finance matters generally involve the issuer's legal authority, the terms of the debt, disclosure documents, and applicable public procedures. Bond counsel examines the legal framework for the issuance. Underwriter's counsel addresses the underwriter's role and the documents connected with offering the securities.

Corporate and real estate matters

Mary Patricia Burns focuses on governmental affairs, complex financial transactions, real estate transactions, and civil litigation. Mark S. Jamil is a partner in the transaction group. His practice covers governmental affairs, corporate governance, employment and labor disputes, education law, municipal law, and commercial and real estate matters.

Business and real estate transactions often require review of authority, contracts, financing terms, title materials, and closing documents. Board governance questions may concern who can approve a transaction and how that approval must appear in the records. The firm's attorney profiles connect these tasks with both corporate and government work.

Attorney roles and subject matter

The attorney page contains ten named profiles with partner, associate, of counsel, and founding partner titles. Several lawyers belong to both the transaction and litigation practice groups. This structure places lawyers with public law, business, finance, and dispute work on the same listed team.

Partners across both practice groups

Sarah A. Boeckman and Martin T. Burns each work in the transaction and litigation groups. Boeckman's profile centers on litigation and transactional matters involving governmental affairs, municipal law, and corporate law. Martin Burns adds contract law, sports law, First Amendment law, and municipal finance to his listed fields.

Mark S. Jamil's profile links corporate governance and commercial matters with employment, education, and municipal law. Christopher J. Hales brings a litigation focus that includes private commercial disputes, construction defects, insurance defense, and municipal representation. Mary Patricia Burns connects financial and real estate transactions with civil litigation and governmental affairs.

Associate experience

Jack Grochowski is an associate in both practice groups. He joined the firm as a law clerk in 2021 and has performed work for public and private sector clients. Colin Chenoweth also holds an associate role across the two groups, with his primary concentration in transactional matters.

The associate profiles identify a mix of loan, governance, public sector, and private sector work. The partner profiles add named concentrations in litigation, finance, municipal matters, corporate law, real estate, and employment disputes. The of counsel profile adds a defined municipal finance role.

Certification and staffing aim

The firm identifies itself as a certified Women's Business Enterprise. Its site states a goal of having women account for at least 50 percent of the lawyers on staff.