Justice Burke to Speak at 10th Year Conference (continued)

Before her appointment to the judiciary, Justice Burke was a leading advocate on behalf of Chicago’s most vulnerable young people. As a physical education teacher with the Chicago Park District, she worked with children with disabilities. She went on to found the Chicago Special Olympics in 1968. She later served as a director of that organization as it grew to become the International Special Olympics represented in more than 160 countries.

For more than two years, serving as Interim Chair, Justice Burke directed the efforts of the National Review Board of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops investigating the causes and effects of the clergy abuse scandal and helping to establish guidelines and policies for effectively responding to this scandal.

Justice Burke is a Dame of the Sovereign Order of Malta and a Dame Commander of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.

She received her law degree from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law and has received numerous honorary degrees from schools like the Catholic Theological Union, the College of the Holy Cross, DePaul University, St. Ambrose University, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, The John Marshall Law School and Marquette University.

We are honored that she will be helping us celebrate our 10th year.