Burton Joseph (In Memoriam)

The firm is deeply saddened by the loss of Senior Partner Burton Joseph, who passed away in 2010. Burt had practiced law in Chicago since receiving his law degree from DePaul University, College of Law in 1952.

A giant in the legal community, both in Chicago and nationally, Burt wrote and lectured extensively in the field of First Amendment law. He was an adjunct Professor of Law at IIT/Chicago Kent College of Law for ten years. Burt also served on numerous boards, including Trustee of the Freedom to Read Foundation of the American Library Association, from which he was awarded inclusion on the Roll of Honor in 2008. Burt was a founder of Lawyers for the Creative Arts, President of the Lower North Center, was founding counsel of the International Academy of Sex Research, and was active in numerous other legal and community organizations.

Burt co-authored the Summary of the Law of Illinois, a publication of the Media Law Resource Center (MLRC), was co-editor and publisher of Law and Disorder (1968), and was a contributing author to other national publications.

Burt will be missed by all those who had the honor of knowing him.