Burke Family Law adheres to a high standard of excellence, resolving family law cases with a settlement-minded approach. Fierce advocates when necessary, Burke Family Law guides clients with compassion, skill, and creative solutions.
About Burke Family Law
Katie Burke
Founding Attorney
Katie Burke has practiced family law in San Francisco for sixteen years. Katie is a compassionate and zealous advocate, operating at a high level to preserve her clients’ dignity. A champion for children and families, she has represented children in their parents’ custody and visitation disputes, and she has volunteered in domestic violence prevention throughout her career. Read Katie's full bio.
Joanne Y. Zhou, Esq.
Of Counsel
Joanne Zhou is the founder and managing partner of The Zhou Law Group. Ms. Zhou, an experienced divorce lawyer, is well known for her talent, compassion, competence, and efficiency. Her strength lies in her ability to simplify the complicated divorce issues and propose intelligent and effective solutions for her clients.
As a prominent member of the California Bar Association and California Family Law Association, Ms. Zhou regularly gives exclusive interviews to Tencent commenting on trending legal news and topics. Read Joanne's full bio.
Child Custody and Visitation
Burke Family Law takes a child-centered approach to custody and visitation. This viewpoint excludes any discussion of winning and losing, and places the best interests of the child(ren) at the center of all child-related issues.
Child and Spousal Support
Burke Family Law works to balance the parties' respective finances early in the case, acting quickly to ascertain each party's earning capacity and establish temporary child and spousal support orders accordingly.
Each party's financial self-sufficiency is critical to focusing on case settlement. Burke Family Law aims to keep cases out of crisis mode by stabilizing the temporary finances, then moving swiftly toward permanent orders.
Premarital, Post-Marital, and Cohabitation Agreements
Burke Family Law diligently drafts and reviews premarital, post-marital, and cohabitation agreements, using thoughtful analysis to create enforceable contracts that clearly state the parties' intent at signing.
Domestic Violence
Restraining Orders
Katie is a longtime domestic violence prevention advocate, who works closely with people moving out of violent circumstances.
Burke Family Law is committed to protecting our clients from harm as they carefully bring themselves to safety.
Practice Areas
Mediation
Katie Burke mediates family law matters, acting as a neutral professional on behalf of both parties to a family law dispute or transaction, to help them resolve their issue out of court.
She also represents and consults with people who engage in mediation with other mediators.
Appeals
Burke Family Law handles appeals in family law and civil litigation cases.
Guardianships
Complex Asset Division
Katie has extensive experience with high-asset cases. She has developed streamlined methods for handling discovery and division of large assets, including hiring forensic accountants who specialize in complex financial matters.
Burke Family Law also handles division of simple assets, often forgoing discovery and forensic measures in such cases, to conserve financial resources.
Burke Family Law handles guardianship matters in probate court, helping people secure and maintain legal guardianships when a parent dies and a relative wishes to raise the decedent’s children.
Name Changes
Burke Family Law handles name changes for people who have changed genders or otherwise want to change their names outside of the divorce context, in addition to helping marital dissolution clients restore their given surnames during divorce.
Articles & Publications
2019
2014
Medium, "Meet the District Attorney Candidates," October 31, 2019.
San Francisco Attorney Magazine, "Justice Therese Stewart: Reflections on a Pioneering Career," Spring 2019.
2018
Legal by the Bay, “California Attorney General Xavier Becerra Shares His Battles Against Trump with San Francisco Attorneys,” November 16, 2018.
Daily Journal, “Assisted Reproduction Technologies: Advances and Complications,” June 11, 2018.
2016
Legal by the Bay, “United States Supreme Court Hears Argument on Legality of Firearm Possession by People Convicted of Domestic Violence Misdemeanors,” February 10, 2014.
Trial Insider, “Bruises from Spanking Still ‘Reasonable Punishment’,” January 30, 2014.
Legal by the Bay, “Obama Administration Recognizes Utah Same-Sex Marriages Under Federal Law,” January 13, 2014.
Legal by the Bay, “Trapped in Marriage: Potential Pitfalls of Same-Sex Marriages in Non-Recognition States” (co-authored with Laura Vocke), January 3, 2014.
2013
Trial Insider, “Garbage Hauler Loses Defamation Claim,” November 9, 2016.
Trial Insider, “105-Year Sentence Reversed Over Jury Instruction,” September 8, 2016.
Trial Insider, “Disputed Hague Custody Calls for Hearing,” January 28, 2016.
2015
Trial Insider, “Three-Strike Resentencing Ordered,” December 22, 2015.
Legal by the Bay, “Divorced at Last,” December 8, 2015.
California Lawyer, “Attorneys Need Mentors to Get Ahead, But What Makes a Good One?,” September 29, 2015.
Trial Insider, “$3 Million Civil Rights Award Invalidated,” September 9, 2015.
California Lawyer, “Mind Your Mobile Manners: Email, Phone, and Text Communication Tips,” September 3, 2015.
Trial Insider, “Trial Rights Vindicated in Child Custody,” August 24, 2015.
Legal by the Bay, “Date of Separation,” August 13, 2015.
California Lawyer, “5 Easy Office Organization Tips,” August 12, 2015.
Trial Insider, “Under One Roof Is Not Separated,” July 31, 2015.
Legal by the Bay, “Post-Threat Analysis: SCOTUS reverses conviction in online threats case,” June 30, 2015.
Trial Insider, “Community Property, Say It If You Mean It,” June 24, 2015.
Trial Insider, “He’s My Roommate, He’s My Husband,” May 6, 2015.
California Lawyer, “The Marriage Buyout book review,” May 2015 (online and in print).
Queen’s Bench Bar Association newsletter, “Recent Public Service Announcements Against Domestic Violence,” Spring 2015 (Pp. 4-5).
Trial Insider, “In Liens, Sometimes Over Doesn’t Mean Over,” March 30, 2015.
Legal by the Bay, “Spouse’s Undisclosed Twitter Investment Could Benefit Her Ex Post-IPO” (co-authored with Laura Vocke), December 9, 2013.
Trial Insider, “Hague Convention Doesn’t Apply in US-Mexico Custody Dispute,” November 18, 2013.
Trial Insider, “Family Court Authority Bolstered,” October 29, 2013.
Trial Insider, “No Liability for Giving Booze to Driver,” May 27, 2013.
2012
Trial Insider, “Dad’s Medical Pot Use No Threat to Toddler Son,” December 10, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Family Counseling Not Covered in Sexual Abuse Case,” October 2, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Court Expands Spouse’s Rights in Asbestos Suits,” June 17, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Not Remotely a Burglary,” June 8, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Ex-Employee’s Anti-Bank Rants Are Free Speech,” May 31, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Limits on Juvenile ‘Ward of the Court’ Status Change,” May 24, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Pension Split Using Military Credits,” May 18, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Drink and Drive; Lose Your Nursing License,” May 10, 2012.
Trial Insider, “No Mistrial Despite No-Show Expert Witness,” May 9, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Flavored Malt Drinks Are Overtaxed,” May 1, 2012.
Trial Insider, “Whistleblower Protection Expanded in Retaliation Suit,” April 30, 2012.
Burke Family Law
50 California Street, 34th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
