Gena B. Burns

Gena B. Burns

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Gena Burns is a partner in Burke’s Labor and Employment and Public Law Practice Groups. Gena provides municipal law services to public agencies throughout California.

Gena’s practice includes providing advice to department heads and public agency officials, serving as lead labor negotiator for public entity negotiations, and advising and representing employers on discipline issues.  She has drafted contracts, resolutions, ordinances, administrative policies, and employee handbooks. She regularly advises municipal clients on labor and employment matters, open meeting laws, and the California Public Records Act.

She has represented clients in both state and federal court, as well as in administrative settings.  She has successfully handled cases before the Public Employment Relations Board and the National Labor Relations Board.

Gena enjoys delivering training on a variety of legal matters, including social media for public agencies and officials.

Gena currently serves as Deputy City Attorney for the City of San Clemente and is counsel for several commissions.

Gena graduated cum laude from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.  While in law school, she was a member of the UC Hastings Business Law Journal and studied at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.

Gena obtained a favorable published ruling from the Fourth Appellate District Court of Appeal in Southcott v. Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection, 32 Cal.App.5th 1020 (2019).

  • J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law, 2010
  • B.A., University of California, San Diego, 2003
  • State Bar of California
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of California
  • California Public Employers Relations Association
  • City Attorneys Association of San Diego