Kari Burns is the Director of Professional Development at Tucker Ellis, LLP, where she leverages her extensive experience in legal education and professional development to enhance the firm's offerings for attorneys.
Previously, Kari served as Chief Strategy Officer and Bar Counsel at the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association for a decade. In this role, she spearheaded the development and implementation of numerous initiatives, including over 200 continuing education programs, the Lawyer Referral Service, and key programs focused on pro bono services, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and workforce development. Notably, she is a driving force behind the CMBA's Cleveland Legal Collaborative, a groundbreaking social justice incubator designed to address the critical justice gap within Cuyahoga County.
As Bar Counsel, Kari diligently investigated and prosecuted attorney ethics violations. She is a graduate of Miami University and Cleveland State University College of Law and a proud alumna of the Cleveland Bridge Builders program and the CMBA Leadership Academy. Prior to her tenure at the CMBA, Kari practiced law in the area of probate and estate planning. She resides in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with her husband and two children, Everly and Jude.