Client Testimonials

Dear Tom,

I would like to express my gratitude to you for successfully representing me in the arbitration proceeding which resulted in a winning verdict given in my favor by the arbitration judge in a very complex insurance claim case.

I had a very positive experience working with you and thank you for being always available and responsive. You gained my confidence and trust in you early on and I was highly impressed by your professional knowledge, impeccable integrity and your genuine concern.

I am extremely grateful for getting to know you and will absolutely recommend you to my family and friends who may be in need of legal assistance.

Sam Yamin

I would like to thank you for your excellent representation in a financial misrepresentation arbitration. I was verbally told that my broker would be my money manager. I had assumed all conversations were recorded when it dealt with stock purchases, but I was wrong! I knew no attorney that worked in this field; but I felt very fortunate to have found you and had you on my side. In addition, your expertise and knowledge worked tremendously to obtain a large amount of financial recovery.

Your expertise was second to none and at the final arguments you did not miss a point. Not only that, you were very easy to talk to about some misrepresentations dealing with financial decisions. I felt embarrassed and humiliated when the abuse happened; but your support and compassion really put me at ease and the stock broker was indicted and pled guilty. He no longer could work for that broker, the company was closed, he was punished, and he no longer can scam trusting people at least there.

Thanks again for a stellar job and I know I could have not been represented by anyone, anywhere, any better.

Eternally grateful,

Dr. Alan Polse

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the outstanding service that you provided in my father's case at FINRA. As a fellow litigation attorney, I was really impressed with not only your knowledge and insights about securities laws and jurisprudence, but also your ability to skillfully and thoughtfully navigate through and promptly respond to the numerous unexpected developments and difficulties that arose during the course of our case. As a client, you not only quickly earned my confidence, but also, more importantly, my complete trust since your considerable expertise, judgment and experience as a securities attorney and practitioner were apparent from the very beginning of the case.

I would not hesitate to recommend you to any of my colleagues and friends should they ever require such representation and services.

Cordially,

Rudy Sinhamahapatra, Esquire

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Diane Banach, and I was recently represented by Thomas F. Burke in a reparations complaint against a commodities broker.  Mr. Burke took so much time to familiarize himself with my situation. He kept good communication with me throughout a two year ordeal and helped me gather information and evidence to support my claim.  When the date of the hearing finally came, I was impressed with Mr. Burke's organization and effort that he put into my case.  His quick wit and compassionate way of dealing with my complaint made the hearing so much easier for me.   I could never have navigated this complicated system without his expertise.  While I have not yet received judgement on my case at this time, I feel that I had the best attorney that I could have found.

Sincerely,

Diane Banach

To Whom It May Concern:
Thomas F. Burke represented me in a securities arbitration matter.  I would highly recommend him to anyone seeking council for arbitration with FINRA or any securities litigation. He explained the process, what to expect, and kept me abreast of what was happening throughout. He was sincere, honest, and forthright. He did his research and was well prepared for our favorable arbitration Award.

Sincerely,
Robert  Kenneke

My name is Ted D. I believe that Thomas F Burke is a very good securities lawyer. I retained Thomas for an arbitration case. I am disabled and Thomas came from out of state to help me. I was suffering from stress from the matter. People were worried about me. Thomas knew how to talk to me, to calm my stress levels.

My broker had recommended that I purchase non-traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). He didn’t tell me that they could stop making monthly paying or that they could refuse to allow me to redeem my investment or that they could become worthless.

Thomas did his work and was prepared for the hearing. We were able to recover not only my losses, but interest, attorney’s fees and costs. Thomas was the answer to my prayer. If you have any investment problems, I would call on Thomas F Burke, because I believe that Thomas will be able to help you.

Very Truly Yours,
Ted Davis

ReasonedResolutions.com
Mediation and Arbitration Services
John Newell, Attorney at Law

Mr. Thomas Burke
Attorney at Law
'53 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, Illinois 60604

Dear Mr. Burke:

We are in receipt of the signed settlement agreement and are preparing to comply with the next step in the process. This is an opportunity for us to extend our deepest gratitude to you for all you have done for us in your representation of our interests. As you know, our case was not accepted by other counsel who were concerned about the prospects of a defense decision. In fact, before we retained you, several of my close friends who represent the industry advised that we would be fortunate to receive only a nuisance settlement. Your diligence and attention helps us to re-establish our retirement goals after ten long years of almost indescribable stress and anxiety. We are particularly grateful for your oversight of the settlement to avoid a negative tax consequence.

Very Truly Yours,
John Newell

To Whom It May Concern:

I needed to find a competent Chicago securities attorney with good trial skills who was in my affordable range. A knowledgeable acquaintance recommended several attorneys one of whom was Thomas Burke. I did my initial selection by telephone. Then my wife and I interviewed and retained Thomas Burke. That was over two years ago. During that period Tom Burke become very familiar with my case. He carefully helped me to decide to use the more affordable FINRA process. He wrote a clear comprehensible Claim Document and worked with me to assemble all the evidence and data for the FINRA hearing. He spent the necessary time to thoughtfully vet our hearing panel and select members with both appropriate knowledge and an apparent lack of bias. For the hearing Burke prepared an impressive three ring binder (with copies for all) that thoroughly supported our Claim. I thought his trial/arbitration skills were excellent -- good strategy, fine presentation and insightful questioning that torpedoed much of the defense case. His arbitration hearing style was comfortable, low key and friendly. Tom Burke orchestrated his plentiful knowledge, experience, talent and skills to obtain a very successful Claim outcome for us. I would be pleased to recommend Thomas F. Burke P. C. as a securities attorney, litigator and a fine, honorable person to work with.

Sincerely,

Ron Greene
Los Altos, CA

Dear Tom,

I would like to express to you what a pleasure it as working with you. Both my mother, Barbara J. Oppasser, as well as myself are very pleased with all of you hard work, diligence and success in helping my mom win her case. Your work ethic is superior and we appreciate your honesty and integrity with the handling of my mom's case. From the beginning you were very up front about what to expect in the future and what your expectations and thoughts were. We appreciate all of you hard work.

We are more than pleased with the outcome of her case and would most definitely recommend you in the future.

I wish you the best in the future and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Very truly yours,
Donna Lent

To Whom it May Concern

We would like to extend our warmest gratitude to you for your marvelous work in winning our case against Morgan Keegan and Company in March. Your were given our case on very short notice and what you put together in that time was nothing short of incredible. You're a man of commitment and integrity.

Sincerely,
Gary and Steve FitzGerald

Mr. Thomas Burke, P.C.
53 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, Illinois 60604

Dear Tom,

I want to thank you so much for representing me in my arbitration matter before FINRA. I found your verbal arguments to be clear, concise, thorough, and right on point. Your closing and redirect were nothing short of brilliant. You absolutely nailed it. I have been, privileged to work both for and with some very smart effective individuals in my time, and you are right up there.

While I had prepared myself on this case as thoroughly as possible, and had help from my broker, your briefings to me in preparation for my testimony were very helpful. You are a good teacher for one who has to testify.

It was a pleasure to watch you work throughout the three days of the hearing. It is always a joy to be in the presence of an intelligent, competent person who also has integrity and humor. I think it came through at the hearing. I would not hesitate to recommend you to anybody interested in trying a case. Please continue to do what you are doing. You are very much needed in these difficult times.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Pinto
165 Park Row 13F New York, NY 10038

To Whom It May Concern:

In thinking about Tom Burke, the three words that come to mind are integrity, character and brilliance. I am in the Construction Industry and had been trying to receive payment from a customer for over 15 months. My lawyer at the time had yet to accomplish anything, so I finally made the decision to switch my representation. In under four months, Tom Burke was able to accomplish what no one else had been able to; he pushed the opposing council to avoid further delays, he kept the matter from going to court, he got us a very generous settlement, and he even went so far as to go to Kane County to pick up the check for us.

Without Tom, my company might never have received the money that it deserved. He was efficient, persistent and knowledgeable, and offered a level of service rarely seen anymore. I would wholeheartedly recommend Tom to anyone and hope that he realizes my level of gratitude towards him.

Sincerely,
Wayne J. Klein II
President
Klein Construction

Thomas F. Burke, P.C.
W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1441
Chicago, Illinois 60604

Dear Tom,

Eric and I can't thank you enough for agreeing to take our case on a contingency basis. I had contacted other attorneys but no one was willing to take my case as they felt it was extremely difficult to prove and win in an arbitration proceeding.

Not only did you agree to take my case when I had just about given up, but you litigated every point thoroughly and brilliantly. Frankly the opposing side's attorney seemed very ill prepared and disorganized compared to your presentation.

.I found you to be very personable, extremely sincere and conscientious. It was a real pleasure getting to know you and work with you. Your hard work and commitment resulted in the arbitrators' final decision to award a good a part of our losses.

Thank you again,

Mary C. Powell
356 West High Street
Oviedo, FL 32765

To Whom It May Concern:

Thomas F. Burke was recommended to me by my new Financial Consultant when it became apparent that I had a potential securities arbitration case against myoId brokerage house, Merrill Lynch. After a preliminary phone conversation with Tom, I forwarded to him all of my financial records and a recounting of my experiences with Merrill Lynch, so that he could have the opportunity to review them and give me an honest assessment as to whether or not he felt there was cause for action against my former broker.

Never having been through something like this before, I was particularly pleased that Tom took the time to walk me through the applicable laws and discussed with me where he felt legal breaches in fiduciary responsibility had occurred; and why, therefore, he felt we had a case worthy of pursuing. I never felt he was trying to push me into pursuing a lawsuit. Rather, he just laid out the facts and walked me through all of the potential outcomes and their ramifications should we elect to pursue the matter, as a means in helping me to decide.

Once the decision was made to move forward, Tom was extremely energetic and organized; exploring the facts of the case, collecting all of the relevant materials, researching the relevant background of my "opponent" (e.g. other complaints against this specific broker) and recent case law that would pertain to the matter, as well as informally talking to his colleagues to solicit additional helpful opinion and relevant facts. Tom also interviewed and recommended a specific "expert witness" to assist us in the case, and worked with him to devise an appropriate strategy. Throughout this process, Tom consistently consulted with me to be sure I was on board and comfortable with his approach and how he was pursuing the case. Never once did I feel left in the dark or a means to someone else's end - Tom always took the time to explain what he was doing on my behalf, and why, and to make sure I was comfortable and in agreement.

When our "days in court" (arbitration) finally came, Tom again worked with me, explaining what I could expect from the process as well as from the other side, and continued to guide me through it all, while maintaining a highly ethical approach. Our arbitration took three days, and while it was obvious that the other side had hired "big corporate lawyers", I never once felt out-gunned. Tom presented our case consistently and coherently and, in my opinion, did a fine job. While the jury is still out (we've not yet heard the judgment), I can comfortably say I had my shot at a fair hearing, something I could not have done without Tom's guidance, leadership and skills.

Cordially,

Jeff Dean

Tom,

Thanks so much for your help and for taking our case on contingency. This settlement goes a long way towards restoring what we lost and gives us a great deal of satisfaction. It was an extremely painful loss, and this certainly takes the edge off of it. We couldn't have done it without you!

All the best,

Ken and Catherine McAfee

Dear Tom,

Hello! As I sit here thinking about the recent arbitration proceeding, I am struck anew by the how much your participation helped me. I don't know how to adequately express my gratitude.

In a day when gallantry is not even a word that often comes to mind, you were truly gallant in stepping in to represent me in less than two days before the arbitration hearing began! It is not only your willingness to do this for which I want to thank you; it is also the way you did it. I am still impressed by how quickly you absorbed all the information and the spirit of my case. It was a relief to hear you represent my story so competently and in the professional, level-headed manner that you exhibited.

I prefer not to consider what the two days might have looked like without you there - if they even would have lasted two days! Without your help, my case would not have been taken as seriously or given the consideration that I believe you have demanded of the arbitration panel. You adeptly responded to the opposing council and their witnesses, and you worked exceptionally well with our own expert witness. In a situation where you were inundated with new information from multiple sources all at once, I appreciate how you stayed engaged the entire time and on top of it all.

No matter what the outcome, I can say without hesitation that I am very satisfied and grateful for the way you represented me.

Thank you,

Paul Balsamello

To Whom It May Concern:

I retained Thomas Burke to represent me in a securities arbitration matter and I would highly recommend him to anyone who would be contemplating using his legal services.

His knowledge and experience proved invaluable in reaching a very favorable settlement of my claim. I would not even have attempted to proceed with my claim without his guidance and assistance. He was always available to discuss the case and "went the extra mile" on my behalf.

Sincerely,
Terrance M. Hanley

To Whom It May Concern:

Thomas F. Burke ("Tom") has been associated as legal counsel for both my firm and myself for well over 20 years. In addition to being a highly qualified and knowledgeable attorney, he has also proven to be a close and trusting friend.

Tom has handled all of our corporate and trade business. I am sure that anyone knowing the financial and brokerage business, especially at this time, will appreciate the tremendous work and responsibility of this duty. His research has always been thorough and comprehensive, and his fact finding always accurate. Tom displays an integrity which is, unfortunately, seldom seen in the legal profession. At any time that I, my business or my family are in need of legal assistance, I do not hesitate to call on Tom.

Unlike many lawyers, Tom promptly returns calls and gives the personal attention and respect his clients seek and deserve. He takes all the time necessary to explain the litigation process and what to expect. He takes the time needed to prepare for depositions rather than promote "continuing the case". It is my sincere belief that his courtroom experience gives the needed insight when he advises on settlement or trial decisions.

I can say without hesitation that Tom Burke is a great lawyer, a wonderful person, and what I consider a good friend. He continues to do a great job for me and I'm sure he would do the same for you.

Sincerely,
The Siegel Trading Company, Inc.
Frank L Mazza, President

Dear Sir or Madam:

Tom Burke has asked me to write him a letter of recommendation and I do so with great pleasure. Tom and I met as adversaries close to ten years ago. The litigation (a class action involving commodities) was long, contentious and involved a great deal of money. However, even with those stakes and under those circumstances, I developed a deep respect for Tom's legal abilities, his professionalism and his judgment. We became friends and colleagues.

Over the following years, I have referred cases to Tom that are within his area of expertise rather than mine (generally speaking, securities and commodities arbitrations) and my clients have been both well represented and satisfied with the results. Tom and I have collaborated on some class action cases together. I have even retained Tom in a matter to represent my interests and I would do so again. I give Tom very high marks for legal ability, judgment and results.

Very truly yours,
Terrence Buehler
Buehler Reed & Williams

Dear Sir or Madam:

Tom Burke has asked me to write him a letter of recommendation and I do so with great pleasure. Tom and I met as adversaries close to ten years ago. The litigation (a class action involving commodities) was long, contentious and involved a great deal of money. However, even with those stakes and under those circumstances, I developed a deep respect for Tom's legal abilities, his professionalism and his judgment. We became friends and colleagues.

Over the following years, I have referred cases to Tom that are within his area of expertise rather than mine (generally speaking, securities and commodities arbitrations) and my clients have been both well represented and satisfied with the results. Tom and I have collaborated on some class action cases together. I have even retained Tom in a matter to represent my interests and I would do so again. I give Tom very high marks for legal ability, judgment and results.

Very truly yours,
Terrence Buehler
Buehler Reed & Williams