Charles Burson
Encyclopedia
Charles Wainman Burson was a legal counsel and Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States
under Al Gore
. He assumed the position of legal counsel from Kumiki Gibson
in February 1997 after serving almost a decade as Tennessee Attorney General
. In 1999 Charles Burson became Gore's Chief of Staff, replacing Ron Klain
who resigned in August of that year.
Burson is the son of Josie Burson and Leo Burson. He grew up in Shelby County, Tennessee
, where he graduated from Central High School
in Memphis
in 1962. Burson received his Bachelor of Arts
in political science
from the University of Michigan
, his Master of Arts
from the University of Cambridge
, and his J.D.
from Harvard Law School
.
Burson was a friend of Gore for over three decades at the time of his appointment as Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States. Charles Burson first became friends with the future Vice President in 1968 during the time Gore was studying Tennessee history at Memphis State University. In 1984 he was the chairman of Gore's senatorial campaign. This continued a family tradition of involvement with the Gores. Burson's parents were active in Tennessee Democratic politics, and his mother had held a position in Albert Gore Sr.'s senatorial campaign in 1958.
Before joining the White House, Charles Burson held a variety of public and private roles. From 1970 until 1988, he worked in private practice as a lawyer. He briefly flirted with active politics in the 1978 when he lost a race to Republican Ed Williams for the East Memphis
seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives
. In 1988 he was appointed the Tennessee Attorney General. In this capacity, Burson served on a number of public legal bodies. He was a member of the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners, of the Tennessee Code Commission
and of the Commission on the Future of the Judicial System. Burson also represented the state several times before the Supreme Court of the United States
. One notable case he argued was Burson v. Freeman, which established a state's ability to regulate election advertising on voting day. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=504&invol=191
After his time in the White House, Burson served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the global agribusiness corporation, Monsanto
. Burson is married to Bunny Burson and has two daughters, Clare
and Kate. He presently resides in St. Louis, Missouri
, teaches at the Washington University School of Law
and is of counsel
to the St. Louis law firm
Bryan Cave
.
Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States
The Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States is the Chief of Staff position within the Office of the Vice President, part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States...
under Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
. He assumed the position of legal counsel from Kumiki Gibson
Kumiki Gibson
Kumiki Gibson is a lawyer of Japanese and African American descent, originally from Buffalo, New York. She was previously the Chief Counsel to 45th Vice President of the United States Al Gore and formerly the Vice President and General Counsel of Johns Hopkins University.Prior to serving as a State...
in February 1997 after serving almost a decade as Tennessee Attorney General
Tennessee Attorney General
The Tennessee Attorney General is a position within the Tennessee state government. The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer and lawyer for Tennessee. Unlike most states, the Tennessee Attorney General is an officer of the judicial branch, being appointed by the justices of the...
. In 1999 Charles Burson became Gore's Chief of Staff, replacing Ron Klain
Ron Klain
Ronald A. "Ron" Klain is an American lawyer and political operative best known for serving as Chief of Staff to two Vice Presidents - Al Gore and Joseph Biden . He is an influential Democratic Party insider...
who resigned in August of that year.
Burson is the son of Josie Burson and Leo Burson. He grew up in Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the state's largest both in terms of population and geographic area, with a population of 927,644 at the 2010 census...
, where he graduated from Central High School
Central High School (Memphis, Tennessee)
Central High School is a public high school in Memphis, Tennessee. Since it was founded in the early 1900s and is considered the first high school in Memphis; Central is often called "THE" High School. It is a part of the Memphis City Schools Optional School system where it is recognized as a...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
in 1962. Burson received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, and his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
.
Burson was a friend of Gore for over three decades at the time of his appointment as Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States. Charles Burson first became friends with the future Vice President in 1968 during the time Gore was studying Tennessee history at Memphis State University. In 1984 he was the chairman of Gore's senatorial campaign. This continued a family tradition of involvement with the Gores. Burson's parents were active in Tennessee Democratic politics, and his mother had held a position in Albert Gore Sr.'s senatorial campaign in 1958.
Before joining the White House, Charles Burson held a variety of public and private roles. From 1970 until 1988, he worked in private practice as a lawyer. He briefly flirted with active politics in the 1978 when he lost a race to Republican Ed Williams for the East Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
. In 1988 he was appointed the Tennessee Attorney General. In this capacity, Burson served on a number of public legal bodies. He was a member of the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners, of the Tennessee Code Commission
Tennessee Code Commission
The Tennessee Code Commission is one of the 30 or more commissions, boards and committees that to provide assistance to the state court system. The commission consists of five members of which three are ex officio: the Chief Justice of Tennessee, the attorney general and reporter and the director...
and of the Commission on the Future of the Judicial System. Burson also represented the state several times before the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. One notable case he argued was Burson v. Freeman, which established a state's ability to regulate election advertising on voting day. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=504&invol=191
After his time in the White House, Burson served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the global agribusiness corporation, Monsanto
Monsanto
The Monsanto Company is a US-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed in the "Roundup" brand of herbicides, and in other brands...
. Burson is married to Bunny Burson and has two daughters, Clare
Clare Burson
Clare Burson is an American singer-songwriter. She has released four albums. Her 2010 release Silver and Ash is a concept album about her ancestors' lives in Nazi Germany.-Early life:...
and Kate. He presently resides in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, teaches at the Washington University School of Law
Washington University School of Law
Washington University School of Law , is a private American law school located in St. Louis, Missouri. The law school is one of the seven graduate and undergraduate schools at Washington University in St. Louis....
and is of counsel
Of counsel
Of counsel is often the title of an attorney who is employed by a law firm or an organization, but is not an associate or a partner. Some firms use titles like "counsel," "special counsel," and "senior counsel" for the same concept...
to the St. Louis law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
Bryan Cave
Bryan Cave
Bryan Cave LLP is an international law firm with twenty-one offices worldwide, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.- Overview :The international law firm Bryan Cave LLP dates back to 1873 in St. Louis. Founded in 1873 in St. Louis as King, Phillips and Stewart, the firm became Stewart, Bryan,...
.