Kari Burns is the Chief Strategy Officer with the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, where she oversees the implementation of over 200 continuing education programs, the Lawyer Referral Service, as well as pro bono, DEI, and workforce development initiatives. She is also driving the creation of the CMBA’s Cleveland Legal Collaborative, a social-justice legal incubator designed to serve the justice gap that exists in Cuyahoga County.
Prior to this role, she was Assistant Bar Counsel for 6 years, investigating and prosecuting ethics violations against attorneys. She was part of the 2022/23 class of Cleveland Bridge Builders and a CMBA Leadership Academy alumni. Before joining the Bar Association in 2015, Kari was in private practice practicing in the areas of probate and estate planning. She is a graduate of Miami University and Cleveland State University College of Law. Kari resides in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with her husband and two children, Everly and Jude.