New Southampton Town Attorney Sworn In, Brings Experience to Table

SOUTHAMPTON, NY - There's a new town attorney in Southampton, and he brings years of experience to the proverbial table.

On Tuesday, the Southampton Town Board welcomed James M. Burke, who was sworn in by Southampton Town Clerk Sundy Schermeyer and immediately took his place at the dais.

“Jim comes to us with an extensive legal background, having worked for the New York State Attorney General’s Long Island office and we look forward to a good working relationship," said Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman.

Burke's list of accomplishments is long: Since 2011, he worked for New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman as the head attorney for the real property bureau on Long Island and New York City.

He specializes in land use, zoning, environmental law and real estate appraisal.

In prior years, from 2009 to 2011, Burke served as senior counsel at Lewis and Johs, LLP in Melville where he served as lead attorney in a firm of more than 60 attorneys. In addition, he's held the post of deputy town attorney for the Town of Brookhaven both from 1992 to 1996 and again from 2006 to 2009.

In his new position, Burke will oversee a staff of five assistant town attorneys. Kathleen Murray, who had been serving as acting town attorney, will resume her duties as deputy town attorney.

“Kathleen has done a wonderful job serving as acting town attorney while we conducted a search for the lead position. I want to thank her for her tremendous guidance during the transition period," Schneiderman said.

Burke told Patch Tuesday that he's excited to be working with the supervisor, with whom he worked while Schneiderman served as a Suffolk County legislator.

"I've always admired him and been impressed with him; he was always very concerned with open space and farmland preservation," Burke said. "I look forward to working with him, and it seems like a very good board to work with."

Burke, who lives in Port Jefferson with his wife Maureen, has three children, Kyleen, Brannon, and James.

The South Fork has always held great appeal, he said. "It's a unique place," Burke said. "It still has open space and the things people out east long for. I try to describe to people how you can have potato farms running right up to the ocean view."

A former lifeguard, Burke says he said he's happy to be working near the ocean.

Burke said he's worked at village, town, county and state levels; in Port Jefferson, he also served as counsel for the planning board and zoning boards. "I have a very municipal background. I've also made a lot of good relationships over the years. I can utilize those relationships to help projects move along — cut through the red tape, so to speak."

His life's work, Burke said, has been shaped by the memory of his beloved brother William, a fire chief in the Bronx who died when he was only 46 — a hero on 9/11.

"He was a great guy. He was also a lifeguard at Jones Beach, very gregarious. Very handsome and single — all the women loved him."

His brother's legacy has colored each day of his life since, Burke said. "That's certainly part of my love for public service," he said.