When the Declaration of Independence asserted a fundamental right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” it didn’t apply to slaves or even a free black man. It didn’t apply to women, and often didn’t apply to immigrants. Not until the civil rights legislation of the 1960s did the laws catch up with the vision of liberty and justice for all.“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” — The Declaration of Independence. ….And reality has still not caught up with the law. Attorney John Burris, who came of age during the civil rights movement of the ’60s, still finds himself busy addressing civil rights violations in 21st century America. Despite a long record of notable victories for clients stretching back over 25 years, he knows there is much work to be done. Our firm fights for justice throughout California, including Oakland, San Francisco, & Los Angeles.

Our clients are people who are unable to fight for themselves. For some, previous experience with the legal system has been painful or fruitless — they have no expectation of justice. For others, a criminal record, mental illness or addiction puts them at an automatic disadvantage when alleging police abuse or workplace discrimination. At the Law Offices of John L. Burris, our mission is to give everyone access to justice. Mr. Burris has numerous million-dollar verdicts and settlements to show for it, but some of his most cherished victories have resulted in major policy changes by police departments, government entities and employers — whether achieved through a settlement agreement or mandated by the court. Contact an Oakland lawyer today at 510-839-5200. We do not charge for an initial consultation, and in many cases we do not collect attorney fees unless we win compensation.

The Law Offices of John L. Burris represents men and women of every race, every station in life. Our Oakland-based lawyers have represented citizens of the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles, – through out California in the full spectrum of civil rights and constitutional law litigation.:

• Police misconduct, including excessive force, deadly force, false arrest, illegal searches, racial profiling or jail abuse
• Employment discrimination, including racial discrimination, sex discrimination and wrongful termination
• Violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, including failure to make reasonable accommodations for the blind, deaf and physically disabled
• Civil rights abuses of people with mental illness or mental impairments
• Violations of the First Amendment (free speech), Fourth Amendment (search and seizure), Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual punishment) or Fourteenth Amendment (due process and equal protection)