In Memoriam: Brooks R. Burdette
May 14, 2009
Schulte Roth & Zabel mourns the loss of Brooks R. Burdette, who passed away on May 13, 2009, at the age of 47. Brooks joined the firm in 1993 and became a partner in 1996.
A gifted litigator, Brooks successfully represented numerous clients in trials and arbitration hearings in complex civil matters. In his 23 years of legal practice, he litigated cases involving accountants’ liability, partnership disputes, securities law, civil RICO, anti-trust, employment, commercial contracts, commercial fraud and fiduciary duty claims, trademark, corporate governance, defamation and creditors’ rights.
As tirelessly as Brooks worked on behalf of paying clients, he was equally committed to helping the underprivileged, giving generously of his time and expertise on numerous pro bono and professional matters. At SRZ, he was the partner in charge of pro bono matters. Outside the firm, he was a co-chair of the Trial Evidence Committee of the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section, a member of the Federal Bar Council’s Committee on Second Circuit Courts, a trustee of the Harvard Law School Alumni Association of New York City, a member of the Judiciary Committee of the New York County Lawyers Association and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration. Brooks served as a director of Brainstorm Afterschool Inc., a past president of the Truman Scholars Association, a director of the Appleseed Foundation, a trustee of the Democracy Preparatory Charter School, a director of Volunteers of Legal Services and a regional vice chair of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. He was instrumental in the firm’s co-counseling, with the Lawyers Committee, in the landmark case of McWaters v. FEMA, a class action brought in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that prevented hundreds of thousands of families from being evicted from their temporary housing.
Brooks received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he was director of the Harvard Legislative Research Bureau and comments editor of the Harvard Journal on Legislation. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Wofford College, where he was Phi Beta Kappa, a Harry S. Truman Scholar and a Presidential Scholar.
Despite the fact that Brooks’ life ended far too soon, he set an example for all of us of a life well led and dedicated to helping others. Brooks was a person who, throughout his professional and personal life, demonstrated courage, compassion and integrity. He will be profoundly missed by his family, friends, clients and colleagues at SRZ.