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 Edwin
A. Burnette - Public Defender
Mr.
Burnette was appointed and confirmed by the Cook County
Board of Commissioners March 2003, effective April 1,
2003. In this capacity, he is the Chief Executive and
Chief Attorney of the Law Office of the Cook County
Public Defender, the second largest public defender
office in the United States. His duties and responsibilities
include establishing legal policies and procedures for
the representation of the indigent accused, as well
as designating liaisons to all county and court agencies
involved in the administration and funding of the office.
He was the First Assistant Public Defender from 1992
to 2003. Between 1991 and 1992, Mr. Burnette was a supervising
attorney for the First Municipal Division and from 1987
to 1991, he was an Assistant Public Defender assigned
to the Appeals Division and the Felony Trial Division
in the First and Sixth Municipal Districts.
Mr. Burnette served 15 years with the United States
Marine Corps. While stationed at Camp Lejeune, North
Carolina, Quantico, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Okinawa,
Japan, his military positions included operational law
specialist, senior defense counsel, company commander,
head legal assistance attorney, chief prosecution attorney,
trial defense counsel for the Office of the Staff Judge
Advocate and appellate defense counsel for the Department
of the Navy.
He has been an instructor, lecturer, guest speaker and
panelist for numerous institutions and organizations;
such as, DePaul University Law School, University of
Chicago Law School, National Legal Aid and Defender
Association and others.
Mr. Burnette has been appointed to the Sex Offender
Management Board and is a member of the Steering Committee
for Integrated Systems for Women Offenders. He presently
sits on several boards including the John Howard Association,
Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Past
President) and Rich Township High School District #227,
Board of Education (Past President).
Mr. Burnette graduated from DePaul University College
of Law and the U.S. Naval Academy.
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