eDiscovery Litigator Joins Seyfarth in New York

NEW YORK (July 6, 2015) — Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced the arrival of senior counsel Patrick J. Burke to the firm’s Litigation practice and eDiscovery and Information Governance group in New York. Burke joins Seyfarth from Reed Smith LLP where he was a member in the firm’s Records & E Discovery group.

Burke counsels clients on electronic discovery, digital investigations and evidence, information governance, data privacy, records management and cybersecurity risk, with a particular focus on cross-border electronic discovery and disclosure in litigation as well as European Union data protection. He regularly advises clients regarding defensible identification, preservation, collection, processing, analytics, review and production of electronically stored information, as well as negotiations, meet-and-confer and litigating e-discovery issues. He also counsels clients on managing legal risks associated with data privacy and cybersecurity through improved awareness, upgraded corporate policies, policy enforcement and appropriate technologies.

“Patrick is a highly talented litigator who advises some of the largest global companies in complex eDiscovery matters,” said Kate Perrelli, chair of Seyfarth’s Litigation department. “As we continue to grow our eDiscovery and information governance group, Patrick brings an extraordinary wealth of knowledge to our team.” 

Earlier in his career, Burke served as Senior Director and Assistant General Counsel at Guidance Software, the makers of EnCase digital investigation technology, where he performed in-house legal functions and worked with corporate law departments of other companies seeking to implement defensible in-house eDiscovery processes in the US, UK, Canada, Europe, Middle East and Africa. 

“Patrick has a truly unique skill set that is formed by his litigation practice at a number of large law firms as well as his role as in-house counsel at technology and eDiscovery companies,” said Scott Carlson, chair of Seyfarth’s eDiscovery and Information Governance practice. “Cybersecurity and data privacy continues to be a vital concern to businesses and Patrick enhances our capabilities to advise clients in this evolving space.”

Burke is the Executive Director of the Data Law Initiative at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City, where he teaches courses on “E-Discovery, Digital Evidence and Computer Forensics” and “Information Governance Law.” He holds the Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E) certification for expertise in European data privacy from the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Burke served as a Law Clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Glenn E. Mencer (W.D.Pa.) and earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he was Notes & Comments Editor of the NYU Review of Law & Social Change. He received his B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Burke’s arrival follows the recent addition of senior counsel M. James Daley, who joined the firm’s eDiscovery and Information Governance group in Chicago. Seyfarth’s eDiscovery and Information Governance practice provide representation, advice and innovative solutions in all facets of electronic discovery and information governance. The practice group offers counsel on a variety of complex eDiscovery issues including pre-litigation preparedness and the preservation, collection, review and production of electronic information in litigation, as well as information governance issues related to data security, privacy and records management.

About Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Seyfarth Shaw has more than 850 attorneys and provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of labor and employment, employee benefits, litigation, corporate and real estate. With offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco, Shanghai, Sydney and Washington, D.C., Seyfarth’s clients include over 300 of the Fortune 500 companies and reflect virtually every industry and segment of the economy. A recognized leader in delivering value and innovation for legal services, Seyfarth’s acclaimed SeyfarthLean® client service model has earned numerous accolades from a variety of highly respected third parties, including industry associations, consulting firms and media. For more information, please visit www.seyfarth.com.

Contacts:

Brian Kiefer, Director of Public Relations
(312) 460-6401, bkiefer@seyfarth.com

Martin Grego, Public Relations Manager
(312) 460-6659, mgrego@seyfarth.com