Karen C. Burgess has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the 31st Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. She was previously named in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024. In 2020 her firm, Burgess Law PC, was included in the 10th Edition of Best Law Firms.

International Academy of Trial Lawyers President Karen Burgess, joined Journalist Law School founder Donna Melby and ABOTA President La'Verne Edney in a panel discussion on Judicial Independence at LMU Loyola Law School’s 19th-annual Journalist Law School in Los Angeles.

Karen Burgess is ranked a Band 1 Trial Lawyer in trial litigation, general commercial litigation, and dispute resolution by Chambers and Partners in its 2024 USA Guide.

Karen Burgess debated the merits of damages-based fees at The Commercial Bar Association’s North American Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden. Karen was honored to share the dais with Charles Bear, Charlotte Thomas, Jonathan L. Greenblatt and Alex Gunning KC.

Karen Burgess introduced speakers Suzanne Spaulding and University of Texas Law School Dean Robert “Bobby” Chesney at the Region 6 Meeting of the American College of Trial Lawyers in San Antonio.

Karen Burgess, along with other fellows of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, served as a faculty member at the Academy’s Trial Skills Workshop. The Workshop focused on storytelling techniques and direct examination in immigration court. Presentations given by Academy Fellows focused on hands-on practice, which included developing a theme and theory of a case, client interviewing, and direct examination. The Academy partnered with VECINA, a nonprofit with a mission to empower immigrant justice advocates through mentoring attorneys, educating communities, and mobilizing volunteers. VECINA’s pro bono teams have provided legal assistance to clients from at least 24 countries representing 26…

Karen Burgess was honored to introduce Judge Karin Krump at her campaign fundraising event at the Headliners Club in Austin. Judge Crump currently presides over the 250th District Court of Texas and is running for election as the Place 5 Judge of the Texas Third Court of Appeals.

On October 20, Karen Burgess had the honor of introducing Jeffrey Edwards at his induction as Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers during the Academy’s Mid-Year Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Karen Burgess was honored to introduce Senator Amy Klobuchar for her introductory speech about the work she is doing in Washington to defend our Democracy. Senator Klobuchar is the first woman elected to represent the State of Minnesota in the U.S. Senate. Before serving in the Senate, she headed the largest prosecutor’s office in Minnesota for eight years. In her tenure as a Senator, she has led the effort to pass landmark legislation to end human trafficking, combat the opioid epidemic and has fought to pass the most significant consumer product safety legislation in a generation.

On September 29, Karen Burgess served on a panel for the Austin Bar Association’s 18th Annual Ultimate Trial Notebook seminar alongside attorneys Ryan Squires, Holly Davis, and Robert Swafford. The panel discussed The Psychology of the Austin Jury: Understanding Local Juror Behavior.

On June 30, Karen Burgess presented on Direct Examination to members of the Austin Young Lawyers Association at their Trial Academy event.

Karen Burgess debated the efficacy of the trial process in commercial cases at the Commercial Bar Association’s North American Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. The lively debate included prominent barristers Alex Potts KC, Alex Hall Taylor KC, Alex Gunning KC, Charles Bear KC and attorney Kannon K. Shanmugam. Georgina Peters moderated the panel and Anneliese Day KC and James Willan for co-chaired the conference.

Karen Burgess presented on Direct Examination Mastery at the annual David H. Hockema Civil Trial Law Conference held by the Hidalgo County Bar Association.

On March 20, Karen Burgess delivered the keynote address to the National Conference on Juvenile Justice, presented by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ). The NCJFCJ is the oldest judicial membership organization in the country, and provides knowledge and skills to support judges, courts and other related agencies that deal with juvenile, family, and domestic violence cases.

Congratulations to Luckenbach for protecting its mark before a jury in federal court.

Enjoyed Co-Chairing Page Keeton Civil Litigation Conference with friends/law school classmates Frank Guerra and Mike Oldham.

Eric Nichols (Barbara Jordan Inn) and Karen Burgess (Lloyd Lochridge Inn) attended a dinner at the United States Supreme Court Saturday to accept platinum designations for their respective Inns.

(From left to right: Professor Constanza Tobar, Fred Cunningham, Brian Gover, Karen Burgess, President Iván Aróstica Maldonado, Stanley Garnett, Sean Domnick and Jane Rydholm) Last week Karen Burgess joined a delegation from The International Academy of Trial Lawyers in Buenos Aires and Santiago to collaborate with lawyers and judges from those regions. Along with many other notable individuals, the group met with the Deputy Chief Justice of Argentina’s Supreme Court, Elena Highton de Nolasco, and with the President of Chile’s Constitutional Court, Iván Aróstica Maldonado.  https://www.tribunalconstitucional.cl/delegacion-de-international-academia-of-trial-lawyers-iatl-visito-el-tribunal-constitucional. The International Academy of Trial Lawyers was founded in 1954. It is an international legal association both in spirit and membership. The Academy…

2019 Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers® 2019 Top 50 Women Texas Super Lawyers® 2019 Top 50 Central/West Texas Super Lawyers® Karen C. Burgess is recognized in Thomson Reuters’ 2019 Top 100 List of Texas Super Lawyers.  She is also a 2019 Top 50 Women Texas Super Lawyer and a 2019 Top 50 Central/West Texas Texas Super Lawyer.  Karen was first named a Rising Star by Thomson Reuters in 2004 and first named a Super Lawyer in 2012.  She made the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers List in 2014 and 2016 and Top 50 Central/West Texas Lists in 2014-2016 and 2018.…

Karen C. Burgess presented on the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act at Texas Bar CLE's 42nd Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort in San Antonio. Co-author Stacy Rogers Sharp was on site to help answer questions from audience members before they both took kids to the lazy river. Shannon Hutcheson is a co-author of the paper.

The State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting took place in Austin on June 13th through the 14th, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the State Bar’s creation in 1939, which granted Texas lawyers the privilege of self-governance that continues to this day. Co-Chair Karen C. Burgess introduced keynote addresses by two notable speakers: iconic newsman Dan Rather, and award-winning author and reporter Wil Haygood. Watch the keynote addresses here: Bar Leaders Recognition Luncheon with Dan Rather Bench Bar Breakfast with Wil Hayward General Session Key Note Address by Asha Rangappa

The Commercial Bar Association’s 30th North American Meeting was held in New Orleans this past May. COMBAR was honored by the attendance of the Hon. Mr. Justice Teare (Judge in charge of the Commercial Court in London), Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart (Chief United States Circuit Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit) and to be welcomed by Judy Perry Martinez (President-Elect of the American Bar Association). This year’s event also held a special place for Karen C. Burgess as she accepted COMBAR’s invitation for Honorary Overseas Membership of the Commercial Bar Association in England. Honorary Overseas…

Karen C. Burgess was re-appointed as Secretary-Treasurer for the International Academy of Trial Lawyers at its 2019 Annual Meeting in London held on Saturday, April 13. IATL was founded in 1954. It is an international legal association both in spirit and membership. The Academy limits Fellowship to 500 active trial lawyers from the United States and includes over 150 Fellows from nearly 40 countries across the globe. The Academy’s dedicated leadership includes its volunteer Executive Committee and its volunteer Board.

(Listed in Photo: Casey Dobson, Steve McConnico, Karen C. Burgess and Randy Howry of Austin attend the Induction Ceremony at the 2019 Spring Meeting of the ACTL.) Atwood & Burgess among first Austin women inductees. Missy K. Atwood, Karen C. Burgess and Casey Dobson have become Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. The three Austinites were recognized by the president, Jeffrey S. Leon, along with the Executive Committee and Board of Regents at the Induction Ceremony at the 2019 Spring Meeting of the College in La Quinta, California on…

The University of Texas School of Law’s The Review of Litigation invited Karen Burgess to present “Building Your Trial Plan” on March 8 at its Young Litigator’s Practicum.

The American Law Institute has just announced their newly elected members, including Karen Burgess.  The Institute elects  “eminent judges, lawyers, and law professors from all areas of the United States and from many foreign countries, selected on the basis of professional achievement and demonstrated interest in improving the law.”  The Institute’s mission is to “to promote the clarification and simplification of the law and its better adaptation to social needs, to secure the better administration of justice, and to encourage and carry on scholarly and scientific legal work.”

Karen Burgess and Michael Oldham co-chaired this year’s Page Keeton Civil Litigation Conference, which provides litigators with advanced updates in the law as well as advocacy strategies. Karen also served as a presiding officer of the seminar and presented on Evidence and Discovery Strategies in Responsible Third Party Practice.

The International Society of Barristers named Karen C. Burgess a North American Fellow. The International Society of Barristers gathers advocates of exceptional talent whose qualities—including integrity, honor, and collegiality—embody the spirit of the true professional. The Society is dedicated to preserving trial by jury, the adversary system and an independent judiciary.

On Saturday, October 13 of 2018, the National Board ABOTA of the American Board of Trail Advocates re-elected Karen C. Burgess as its National Treasurer. ABOTA is a nationwide organization of over 7,700 skilled practicing trial attorneys who care passionately about the American trial system.

On October 18, Karen Burgess served on a panel for the Austin Bar Association’s 14th Annual Ultimate Trial Notebook seminar alongside Shannon Ratliff, Stefanie Scott Shah and Marisa Secco. The four discussed Real Trial Experience in the Age of the Vanishing Jury Trial: Mentors and Opportunities.

On Tuesday, September 18, 2018, the Lloyd Lochridge American Inn of Court named Karen C. Burgess as its President. The American Inns of Court is dedicated to professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence. The American Inns of Court inspire the legal community to advance the rule of law by achieving the highest level of professionalism through example, education and mentoring.

On September 26, Karen Burgess presented to the TexasBarCLE’s 10th Annual Business Disputes Course in Austin on the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act and Extraordinary Remedies.  Because Jason Snell is trying a case this week, Karen also pinch hit to moderate a panel presentation discussion on the Texas Citizens Participation Act, with panelists Justice Bob H. Pemberton of the Third Court of Appeals, Peter Kennedy of Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody and Amanda Taylor of Beck Redden LLP.

Karen Burgess co-chaired ABOTA’s James Otis Lecture Series at the Texas Capitol.

The Dallas Bar Association’s Trial Skills Section invited Karen Burgess to present “Building Your Trial Plan” on September 14.

The University of Texas Alumni Association Announces the 2018 Alumni Award Honorees – Karen C. Burgess '96 will be awarded Alumni Mentor of the Year. Read more about Karen's professional experience as well as her support of the community.

Karen C. Burgess was one of the highly experienced trial lawyers at the recent ABOTA National Trial College at Yale Law School, from June 10th to the 15th. This five-day event provided intensive training from many accomplished trial lawyers from all over the nation who met to help Yale Law students learn and perfect trial preparation and all aspects of civil jury trials.

Karen C. Burgess has been a speaker at Baylor Law School for the third annual Legal Map Maker™ Program. The speaker series was held in Waco, Texas, August 15th thru the 17th, 2018.  

At the ABOTA national board meeting in Nashville last week, Karen C. Burgess co-moderated a panel of judges and actual jurors at the National Jury Summit. Additionally, California lawyer, Mark Robinson, nominated Karen C. Burgess to serve as treasurer of the national organization, and she was elected by the board of directors. With a membership of 7,500 experienced attorneys, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in civil cases, ABOTA works to promote constitutional rights, in particular the Seventh Amendment right to trial by jury.        

Lawdragon has named Karen C. Burgess as one of The Leading Lawyers in America for 2016.

Karen C. Burgess has been appointed to serve on the National Board of Directors of The American Board of Trial Advocates by its President, Joel Collins. (January 2015)

Karen C. Burgess served as co-chair and emcee of the Austin Bar Association's Bench Bar conference on April 4, 2014.  Many thanks to the Austin Bar Association, and the judges and lawyers who made the day a big success.

On April 3, 2014, Karen C. Burgess presented on trade secrets at the annual IP conference in Washington, DC, alongside Moderator Robert Milligan of Seyfarth Shaw LLP; Bruce Pixley, former law enforcement officer and current forensic examiner; and Luke Dembosky, Deputy Chief for Litigation of the U.S. Department of Justice's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

Karen C. Burgess is selected Litigation Attorney of the Year by the Travis County Women Lawyers' Association and Foundation. The TCWLA describes its awards this way: "The award recipients, who are nominated by their peers, show their merit in their work, their volunteer activities and the atmosphere they create in the workplace. The criteria for consideration are that the person practice law in Travis County and serve the local community in some fashion. The nominees need not be members of TCWLA. The awards are presented at the annual TCWLA - TCWLF charity awards luncheon held in late Spring of each year,…

Karen C. Burgess has recently been honored as one of Texas Lawyer's 20 Winning Women at a luncheon at the Barr Mansion in Dallas. According to the Texas Lawyer, the editorial department chose "20 Lone Star State litigators and appellate attorneys" "who have achieved significant recent victories as well as displayed a track record of wins in which they prevailed in high-stakes cases; won large monetary awards; successfully defended against actions seeking substantial damages; handled first-of-their-kind or bet-the-company cases; or claimed victory in cases that had a national or statewide impact.