Jennifer Ellis Burke

Jennifer Burke is an experienced trial lawyer concentrating on employment discrimination litigation, professional liability, premises liability and insurance coverage matters. She regularly appears before the courts in Massachusetts, as well as the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In addition to her extensive experience litigating cases, Ms. Burke advises employers regarding employee handbooks, employment policies and practices, and employment contracts.

Ms. Burke is an experienced lecturer, having spoken to employers about effective employment policies and practices, as well as to health care professionals and nursing home administrators on managing medical risks.

Representative Accomplishments

Ms. Burke enjoys a long string of victories in defending clients against a variety of claims. For instance, she recently persuaded the Massachusetts Appeals Court to uphold summary judgment in favor of a commercial landlord against a worker claiming he was injured on leased property. The court adopted Ms. Burke’s argument that her client had no contractual duty to repair the premises it leased to a business for which the man worked. Ms. Burke also successfully defended a landlord at arbitration in a premises liability case involving a fall at an apartment. She has obtained lack of probable cause findings in more than a dozen cases pending before the MCAD.

In addition, she recently obtained summary judgment for a non-profit organization under the Massachusetts anti-SLAPP statute. At various jury trials involving allegations of medical malpractice, Ms. Burke has obtained defense verdicts for a radiology practice group, an oncologist, and an obstetrician/gynecologist.

Professional Affiliations

Ms. Burke is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston Bar Association and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.