John M. Burkoff

John M. Burkoff, a graduate of the University of Michigan (A.B., J.D.) and Harvard University (LL.M.), is a prolific author, teacher, public speaker, lawyer, and expert witness. Currently Emeritus Professor of Law, he was Professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh from 1976 to 2017 and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs from 2000 to 2004. Burkoff has published more than fifty books and numerous articles in the areas of criminal justice and legal ethics. He is also the long-time editor of a monthly newsletter relating to search and seizure issues published by Thomson Reuters. Professor Burkoff was awarded both the Chancellor's Distinguished Public Service Award (2009) and the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award (1987) by the University of Pittsburgh. He was voted Teacher of the Year by the graduating class of the Pitt Law School in 2007. Burkoff has also been involved with projects relating to human rights, criminal justice, legal ethics, and legal education all over the world. He has taught at Bahcesehir University (Istanbul), the University of Navarra (Spain), the University of Ghent (Belgium), the University of Iceland, the University of Belgrade (Serbia), the University of Nairobi (Kenya), and Moi University (Kenya) (1995. He has also: been involved in human rights projects for the U.S. Embassies in Burundi and Kenya; taught legal ethics to Eastern European lawyers in Slovakia for U.S. Steel; and consulted on civilian control of the police in Albania, teaching at the National Police Academy of Albania. Burkoff has sailed on Semester at Sea (currently sponsored by Colorado State University) as a faculty member, Academic Dean, Director of the "Law at Sea" Program, and Executive Dean (seven times). He is a past Chair of the Criminal Justice Section of the Association of American Law Schools, a past member of the City of Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board, and the first Chair of the city of Pittsburgh's Citizen Police Review Board. He has lectured at the National Judicial College, and frequently at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court New Judges Training Program and the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges Judicial Education Conference. Burkoff was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to the Pennsylvania Commission on Judicial Independence, and was a member of the Special Investigative Panel for Review of Executive MBA Program Records at West Virginia University. He has engaged in consulting and expert work for a number of law firms and government agencies each year.