A Man For All Seasons : A tribute to Dean J. Martin Burk

Dietrich, John M.

Ford, Cynthia

Monaghan, Ann

English

University of Montana School of Law

Montana Law Review
Volume 55
Issue 1 Winter 1994 Article 1
1-1-1994
"A Man For All Seasons": A Tribute to Dean J.
Martin Burke
John M. Dietrich
Cynthia Ford
University of Montana, cynthia.ford@umontana.edu
Ann Monaghan
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr
Part of the Law Commons
This Tribute is brought to you for free and open access by The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montana Law
Review by an authorized editor of The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law.
Recommended Citation
John M. Dietrich, Cynthia Ford, and Ann Monaghan, "A Man For All Seasons": A Tribute to Dean J. Martin Burke, 55 Mont. L. Rev.
(1994).
Available at: https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1
TRIBUTE
"A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS": A TRIBUTE TO
DEAN J. MARTIN BURKE*
Writing a tribute to our friend and colleague, J. Martin Burke,
not only has been a particular pleasure, but also a challenge to ad-
equately describe someone who has touched the hearts and minds
of so many in such a short span of years.
My first association with Martin coincided with the launching
of his professional career as an associate in our law office following
a distinguished clerkship with the Honorable William J. Jameson,
Federal District Judge, now deceased. Martin wanted experience in
the estate planning arena, and it fell his lot to work in our firm
primarily with me and with agricultural clients. I smile at certain
memories relating to his attempt to become familiar with agricul-
tural terms and slang totally foreign to a young Butte Irishman.
His enthusiasm, responsibility, intellectual ability, honesty, and
good judgment, combined with a compassion for others and a sense
of humor, surfaced quickly and instilled an immediate respect in
those who had the privilege to work with him.
To say that Martin is a many-faceted person is to state the
obvious. He has been described using a host of different superla-
tives, but perhaps the title to Robert Bolt's play, "A Man for All
Seasons" (the life and struggles of Sir Thomas More, the patron
saint of lawyers), is as succinct a description as possible. It says it
all! The uniqueness of Martin is in the depth of his contributions
both to the profession of law and to the affairs of an expanded
community.
Martin's career as a lawyer has been devoted to excellence-as
a student, practicing lawyer, teacher, author, and dean. But aca-
demic ability, alone, would not have enabled him to attain his
* The following Tributes to Dean J. Martin Burke were written by John M. Dietrich, a
partner with Crowley, Haughey, Hanson, Toole & Dietrich; Cynthia Ford, an associate
professor at the University of Montana School of Law; and Ann Monaghan, a third-year law
student at the University of Montana School of Law.
1
Dietrich et al.: "A Man For All Seasons"
Published by The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law, 1994
MONTANA LAW REVIEW
goals, nor have made the impression upon others that he has. Each
of those attributes mentioned was a catalyst, but the presence of
mature judgment and concern for others were the salient charac-
teristics that have caused Martin to stand out in the crowd.
First, as a practicing lawyer Martin demonstrated the ability
to analyze a problem; determine what was relevant to its solution;
research and apply the law; and communicate succinctly his obser-
vations and conclusions to his client, opposing counsel, the court,
and others involved with the issues. He jealously guarded time,
recognizing that he did not always have the luxury of that com-
modity in pursuing. a given project. He elicited opinions from
others to develop a consensus without it being apparent that he
was presiding. Clients left his office convinced that their matters
would be personally attended to with dispatch. He instilled in
others immediate confidence in his ability to properly represent
them. His "people" skills soon enabled one to foresee that the ar-
eas of family planning for "living and dying" would be Martin's
forte. His ability to develop a sense of accommodations to others
by others, coupled with an undercurrent of compassion, have ele-
vated Martin from not just a good to excellent lawyer, but to a
great lawyer. It became obvious that this young man had a deep
and abiding set of personal convictions.
Following the academic pursuit of estate, gift, and income tax
law at New York University and as a professor at the University of
Montana School of Law, the elements of his personal-
ity-animated, organized, kind, articulate, brilliant-literally en-
deared him to students. All were present in his contact with stu-
dents, faculty, and the larger university community. His forceful,
energetic, and methodical presentation of complex subject matter
in an understandable manner has endeared him to audiences of all
ages, whether they were students attending one of his classes or
lawyers attending a CLE seminar. Any graduate of the law school
fortunate enough to have experienced Martin agrees that Martin is
confident in his abilities, but humble in their application. He made
a difference with students, just as he had with clients. Ultimately
as the dean, Martin's influence throughout the legal community
has been felt by all of us regardless of whether we attended the
University of Montana. Under his direction, the continued and re-
newed focus on excellence and the adherence to the highest stan-
dards of professionalism are cornerstones of the law school (which
institution is the envy of others).
But there is another Martin known to many not involved in
the legal profession. This face is of a citizen anxious and concerned
[Vol. 55
2
Montana Law Review, Vol. 55 [1994], Iss. 1, Art. 1
https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1
TRIBUTE
with people's welfare. Maintaining community services, as well as
recognizing and responding to the increasing demands which con-
front society, are on the checklist of his "musts!" Thus, Citizen
Martin has become involved, as a trustee or otherwise, in the ex-
pansion and efforts of hospitals and other state and local organiza-
tions to address the needs for health care. His presence as a trustee
of educational institutions, unrelated to the university, is yet an-
other instance of Martin's boundless enthusiasm to make a
difference.
Finally, we see Martin "at play." Many of his law school col-
leagues were admittedly envious of yet another facet of Mar-
tin-namely, the ability to so organize his life that he had time for
the arts and humanities. His interest in painting, music, literature,
the theater, and even the preparation of a gourmet meal all have
been a part of his life. Indeed, no one so young ever left the city of
Billings receiving the applause of that community in an article
published by the Billings Gazette, written by the editor for travel
and entertainment, Ms. Christine Cosgriffe Meyers, entitled "We
Will Miss You Martin."
Much will be heard from Martin in the years to come, and
each of us shall bask in the sunshine of "The Man for All
Seasons."
John M. Dietrich
1994]
3
Dietrich et al.: "A Man For All Seasons"
Published by The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law, 1994
MONTANA LAW REVIEW
Martin Burke is a teacher, a scholar, a servant of the law and
the bar, and a true and dedicated friend to all those whose lives he
has touched, both in Montana and throughout the country. He was
also a wonderful dean here at the University of Montana School of
Law. His retirement from that position is the occasion of these
written tributes, but in fact all of us who are honored to call Mar-
tin our friend pay silent tribute to him every day.
Martin is a gifted teacher. Since becoming a faculty member
at the University of Montana School of Law in 1977, Martin has
taught a wide variety of courses, including Legal Writing and a
plethora of tax courses. Some of these are required courses, which
in other schools students take reluctantly or not at all. Others are
advanced elective courses attracting a smaller but dedicated group
of tax enthusiasts. Regardless of whether they are dragged to or
run toward Martin's classes, his students uniformly enjoy the expe-
rience and even the subject matter. He transforms dry code sec-
tions into living policy vehicles, probing both the reason behind
and the actual application of each section. Martin's enthusiasm is
contagious and transcends the specific subject matter. His students
come to know by observation and then firsthand the joy of intellec-
tual endeavor, which they emulate in all sorts of subject areas. Lit-
tle wonder that Martin was voted the law school's "Most Valuable
Teacher" in 1978, 1979, 1985, and 1987, and received the first Uni-
versity of Montana "Distinguished Teaching Award" in 1981.
Martin is a dedicated scholar. His teaching and scholarly work
go hand in hand, each complementing the other. All of us on the
law school faculty chose this profession in part because of the ad-
vertised time to reflect, write, and create. However, all of us have
realized the frustration of trying to accomplish these goals amidst
the swirl of daily responsibilities for classroom work; administra-
tive committee work; and service to the university, bar, and com-
munity. Martin has not only found the time and energy to perform
all these duties, but has assembled an astounding record of schol-
arship in his chosen field of taxation: two editions of a textbook on
individual income taxation, two chapters in the Federal Tax Ser-
vice, and twenty-seven (at last count) law review articles on a host
of tax subjects. In addition, Martin serves as co-editor in chief of a
quarterly national tax journal and on the Board of Editors of the
Florida Tax Review. Other law schools continually seek Martin's
judgment on the scholarly work of their own faculty members
when making hard decisions about promotion and tenure, knowing
that Martin will be both forthright and fair. In these endeavors, as
in all others, Martin has performed above and beyond the call of
[Vol. 55
4
Montana Law Review, Vol. 55 [1994], Iss. 1, Art. 1
https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1
TRIBUTE
duty. Martin is a tireless servant of the bar and people of Mon-
tana. As dean of Montana's only law school, Martin successfully
sought to unite the bar and the school so that each could benefit
from the other. He was on the road continually. We have joked
that Martin was responsible for organizing all meetings of any legal
significance anywhere in the state during his deanship, arranging
subject, speakers, transportation, and refreshments. Among many
other contributions to the bar, Martin has served as chair of the
State Bar Professionalism Committee since 1988 and played an im-
portant role in the Montana Supreme Court's program to bring
oral arguments to communities throughout Montana. His dedica-
tion to the people of Montana as well as to the lawyers of Montana
is reflected in Martin's many community activities: director of the
Citizens' Law School, chair of the Montana Health Care Commit-
tee, director of St. Patrick Hospital, and board member of Loyola-
Sacred Heart High School.
This list of Martin's activities and accomplishments surprises
no one who knows Martin, and who does not? Walking with Mar-
tin across campus, through the Farmers' Market downtown, at any
State Bar meeting, or at the annual meeting of the Association of
American Law Schools is an eye-opening experience. Martin is,
above all else, a real people person. People reach out to Martin
from all walks of life-people for whom he has done some small or
large kindness and people who remember his dedication and per-
sonality. Martin remembers them all by name, and always re-
sponds with genuine interest and concern. People respect and like
Martin because he truly respects and likes them.
Martin's resume cannot show how much fun he has in life or
how much fun he is to be with. Indeed, the extent of his profes-
sional work appears to foreclose any possibility of either the time
or energy to do anything else. Not so: Martin is the one who leads
the group in song at the piano, encouraging all the little children to
join in; it is Martin's house where the students end their annual
Christmas caroling evening, because they know the party will go on
long into the evening there. With Martin as dean, there was a
party for every occasion, and what parties. Whatever else we
lacked here at the law school, the wine and food flowed freely at
Martin's house. Most of us just assumed that the law school some-
how funded these gatherings, when in fact Martin hosted most of
these splendid soirees from his own pocket. Martin's broad-ranging
knowledge and appreciation of music, art, the theater, and litera-
ture ensure that conversations with him anywhere will be lively
and challenging. However, no pretense exists: Martin's house is
19941
5
Dietrich et al.: "A Man For All Seasons"
Published by The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law, 1994
MONTANA LAW REVIEW
hung with wonderful art from the best of contemporary artists as
well as with a black velvet oil painting of Elvis shedding a single
tear.
In sum, Martin Burke is the consummate scholar and gen-
tleman, with all the best connotations of those two words. The
University of Montana School of Law was fortunate indeed to en-
roll Martin as a student, more fortunate that he decided to devote
his considerable talents to legal education here, and more fortu-
nate yet that he dedicated five years of his life to being our dean.
Our best fortune, however, arises from the fact that Martin is still
among us, guiding students, faculty, and the bar by his sterling
example.
We, the faculty, thank Martin for all he has done as a col-
league and as a dean for us individually and for the institution as a
whole. We honor him for his commitment, integrity, ability, and
compassion. Most of all, we love him. Martin, as dean and as pro-
fessor, makes our small community and the larger world around it
a much better place.
Cynthia Ford
[Vol. 55
6
Montana Law Review, Vol. 55 [1994], Iss. 1, Art. 1
https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1
TRIBUTE
Former Dean Burke is one of those people who is always will-
ing to go out of his way to help you. When I was considering a law
school, he was the main reason that I applied to the University of
Montana. Not only had I heard many good things about his char-
acter, interest in students, and great teaching ability, but I heard
him speak to a group of prospective law students. His presence,
enthusiasm, and encouragement were tremendously impressive. I
remember feeling at the time that everyone in that room could be
successful both in law school and in the legal profession. Now, as a
third-year law student, I know first hand that Martin Burke was
"for real" when he gave that speech.
Martin Burke's successes, whether in the form of student sup-
port or contributions to the law school and legal community, can-
not be fairly summarized in this short tribute. Whether as dean,
professor, or attorney, Martin Burke can be described as one to-
tally dedicated to the legal profession. In addition to his law school
responsibilities, he contributes time to many university committees
and community organizations.
One of Martin Burke's most impressive qualities is his ability
to always make himself available to students. Not only is he willing
to meet with students to answer questions from his tax classes, but
he also is willing to assist students in their job searches, law school
exchange programs, pursuit of advanced tax degrees, and any other
student needs. This accessibility is greatly appreciated by his stu-
dents. He is always there for the students.
As a professor, Martin Burke teaches one of the most difficult
law school topics-tax. He approaches his classes with the idea
that all of the students in his courses will be successful. Through-
out the semester he encouraged the students to "turn the crystal"
to enable the class to see the issues at hand from all perspectives.
Students enjoy learning from a professor who is genuinely con-
cerned with whether students learn the material. Because tax is my
area of emphasis, I have a special bias toward having the opportu-
nity to learn from Martin Burke. Students, past and present, ac-
knowledge that they too are fortunate to have had the opportunity
to learn tax law from him and have used what they learned in
practice.
Martin Burke worked as an advocate for the students during
his time as dean. Even now he continues to help students, never
failing to take the time to chat in the hall or wish a student good
luck on finals. Because he stays involved with such a variety of
student activities-the Christmas party, Christian Legal Society,
Phi Delta Phi, Student Bar Association-most students develop a
1994]
7
Dietrich et al.: "A Man For All Seasons"
Published by The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law, 1994
8 MONTANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 55
personal relationship with Martin Burke. Through these many ac-
tivities, students are reminded that he takes a genuine interest in
each student. Martin Burke will be missed as the dean because he
truly represents what education should be. Martin Burke, thank
you for all your great work.
Ann Monaghan
8
Montana Law Review, Vol. 55 [1994], Iss. 1, Art. 1
https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1


A Man For All Seasons : A Tribute to Dean J. Martin Burke

University of Montana

Montana Law Review Volume 55 Issue 1 Winter 1994 Article 1 1-1-1994 "A Man For All Seasons": A Tribute to Dean J. Martin Burke John M. Dietrich Cynthia Ford University of Montana, cynthia.ford@umontana.edu Ann Monaghan Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr  Part of the Law Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation John M. Dietrich, Cynthia Ford, and Ann Monaghan, "A Man For All Seasons": A Tribute to Dean J. Martin Burke, 55 Mont. L. Rev. (1994). Available at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1 This Tribute is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montana Law Review by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu. TRIBUTE"A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS": A TRIBUTE TODEAN J. MARTIN BURKE*Writing a tribute to our friend and colleague, J. Martin Burke,not only has been a particular pleasure, but also a challenge to ad-equately describe someone who has touched the hearts and mindsof so many in such a short span of years.My first association with Martin coincided with the launchingof his professional career as an associate in our law office followinga distinguished clerkship with the Honorable William J. Jameson,Federal District Judge, now deceased. Martin wanted experience inthe estate planning arena, and it fell his lot to work in our firmprimarily with me and with agricultural clients. I smile at certainmemories relating to his attempt to become familiar with agricul-tural terms and slang totally foreign to a young Butte Irishman.His enthusiasm, responsibility, intellectual ability, honesty, andgood judgment, combined with a compassion for others and a senseof humor, surfaced quickly and instilled an immediate respect inthose who had the privilege to work with him.To say that Martin is a many-faceted person is to state theobvious. He has been described using a host of different superla-tives, but perhaps the title to Robert Bolt's play, "A Man for AllSeasons" (the life and struggles of Sir Thomas More, the patronsaint of lawyers), is as succinct a description as possible. It says itall! The uniqueness of Martin is in the depth of his contributionsboth to the profession of law and to the affairs of an expandedcommunity.Martin's career as a lawyer has been devoted to excellence-asa student, practicing lawyer, teacher, author, and dean. But aca-demic ability, alone, would not have enabled him to attain his* The following Tributes to Dean J. Martin Burke were written by John M. Dietrich, apartner with Crowley, Haughey, Hanson, Toole & Dietrich; Cynthia Ford, an associateprofessor at the University of Montana School of Law; and Ann Monaghan, a third-year lawstudent at the University of Montana School of Law.1Dietrich et al.: "A Man For All Seasons"Published by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 1994MONTANA LAW REVIEWgoals, nor have made the impression upon others that he has. Eachof those attributes mentioned was a catalyst, but the presence ofmature judgment and concern for others were the salient charac-teristics that have caused Martin to stand out in the crowd.First, as a practicing lawyer Martin demonstrated the abilityto analyze a problem; determine what was relevant to its solution;research and apply the law; and communicate succinctly his obser-vations and conclusions to his client, opposing counsel, the court,and others involved with the issues. He jealously guarded time,recognizing that he did not always have the luxury of that com-modity in pursuing. a given project. He elicited opinions fromothers to develop a consensus without it being apparent that hewas presiding. Clients left his office convinced that their matterswould be personally attended to with dispatch. He instilled inothers immediate confidence in his ability to properly representthem. His "people" skills soon enabled one to foresee that the ar-eas of family planning for "living and dying" would be Martin'sforte. His ability to develop a sense of accommodations to othersby others, coupled with an undercurrent of compassion, have ele-vated Martin from not just a good to excellent lawyer, but to agreat lawyer. It became obvious that this young man had a deepand abiding set of personal convictions.Following the academic pursuit of estate, gift, and income taxlaw at New York University and as a professor at the University ofMontana School of Law, the elements of his personal-ity-animated, organized, kind, articulate, brilliant-literally en-deared him to students. All were present in his contact with stu-dents, faculty, and the larger university community. His forceful,energetic, and methodical presentation of complex subject matterin an understandable manner has endeared him to audiences of allages, whether they were students attending one of his classes orlawyers attending a CLE seminar. Any graduate of the law schoolfortunate enough to have experienced Martin agrees that Martin isconfident in his abilities, but humble in their application. He madea difference with students, just as he had with clients. Ultimatelyas the dean, Martin's influence throughout the legal communityhas been felt by all of us regardless of whether we attended theUniversity of Montana. Under his direction, the continued and re-newed focus on excellence and the adherence to the highest stan-dards of professionalism are cornerstones of the law school (whichinstitution is the envy of others).But there is another Martin known to many not involved inthe legal profession. This face is of a citizen anxious and concerned[Vol. 552Montana Law Review, Vol. 55 [1994], Iss. 1, Art. 1https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1TRIBUTEwith people's welfare. Maintaining community services, as well asrecognizing and responding to the increasing demands which con-front society, are on the checklist of his "musts!" Thus, CitizenMartin has become involved, as a trustee or otherwise, in the ex-pansion and efforts of hospitals and other state and local organiza-tions to address the needs for health care. His presence as a trusteeof educational institutions, unrelated to the university, is yet an-other instance of Martin's boundless enthusiasm to make adifference.Finally, we see Martin "at play." Many of his law school col-leagues were admittedly envious of yet another facet of Mar-tin-namely, the ability to so organize his life that he had time forthe arts and humanities. His interest in painting, music, literature,the theater, and even the preparation of a gourmet meal all havebeen a part of his life. Indeed, no one so young ever left the city ofBillings receiving the applause of that community in an articlepublished by the Billings Gazette, written by the editor for traveland entertainment, Ms. Christine Cosgriffe Meyers, entitled "WeWill Miss You Martin."Much will be heard from Martin in the years to come, andeach of us shall bask in the sunshine of "The Man for AllSeasons."John M. Dietrich1994]3Dietrich et al.: "A Man For All Seasons"Published by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 1994MONTANA LAW REVIEWMartin Burke is a teacher, a scholar, a servant of the law andthe bar, and a true and dedicated friend to all those whose lives hehas touched, both in Montana and throughout the country. He wasalso a wonderful dean here at the University of Montana School ofLaw. His retirement from that position is the occasion of thesewritten tributes, but in fact all of us who are honored to call Mar-tin our friend pay silent tribute to him every day.Martin is a gifted teacher. Since becoming a faculty memberat the University of Montana School of Law in 1977, Martin hastaught a wide variety of courses, including Legal Writing and aplethora of tax courses. Some of these are required courses, whichin other schools students take reluctantly or not at all. Others areadvanced elective courses attracting a smaller but dedicated groupof tax enthusiasts. Regardless of whether they are dragged to orrun toward Martin's classes, his students uniformly enjoy the expe-rience and even the subject matter. He transforms dry code sec-tions into living policy vehicles, probing both the reason behindand the actual application of each section. Martin's enthusiasm iscontagious and transcends the specific subject matter. His studentscome to know by observation and then firsthand the joy of intellec-tual endeavor, which they emulate in all sorts of subject areas. Lit-tle wonder that Martin was voted the law school's "Most ValuableTeacher" in 1978, 1979, 1985, and 1987, and received the first Uni-versity of Montana "Distinguished Teaching Award" in 1981.Martin is a dedicated scholar. His teaching and scholarly workgo hand in hand, each complementing the other. All of us on thelaw school faculty chose this profession in part because of the ad-vertised time to reflect, write, and create. However, all of us haverealized the frustration of trying to accomplish these goals amidstthe swirl of daily responsibilities for classroom work; administra-tive committee work; and service to the university, bar, and com-munity. Martin has not only found the time and energy to performall these duties, but has assembled an astounding record of schol-arship in his chosen field of taxation: two editions of a textbook onindividual income taxation, two chapters in the Federal Tax Ser-vice, and twenty-seven (at last count) law review articles on a hostof tax subjects. In addition, Martin serves as co-editor in chief of aquarterly national tax journal and on the Board of Editors of theFlorida Tax Review. Other law schools continually seek Martin'sjudgment on the scholarly work of their own faculty memberswhen making hard decisions about promotion and tenure, knowingthat Martin will be both forthright and fair. In these endeavors, asin all others, Martin has performed above and beyond the call of[Vol. 554Montana Law Review, Vol. 55 [1994], Iss. 1, Art. 1https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1TRIBUTEduty. Martin is a tireless servant of the bar and people of Mon-tana. As dean of Montana's only law school, Martin successfullysought to unite the bar and the school so that each could benefitfrom the other. He was on the road continually. We have jokedthat Martin was responsible for organizing all meetings of any legalsignificance anywhere in the state during his deanship, arrangingsubject, speakers, transportation, and refreshments. Among manyother contributions to the bar, Martin has served as chair of theState Bar Professionalism Committee since 1988 and played an im-portant role in the Montana Supreme Court's program to bringoral arguments to communities throughout Montana. His dedica-tion to the people of Montana as well as to the lawyers of Montanais reflected in Martin's many community activities: director of theCitizens' Law School, chair of the Montana Health Care Commit-tee, director of St. Patrick Hospital, and board member of Loyola-Sacred Heart High School.This list of Martin's activities and accomplishments surprisesno one who knows Martin, and who does not? Walking with Mar-tin across campus, through the Farmers' Market downtown, at anyState Bar meeting, or at the annual meeting of the Association ofAmerican Law Schools is an eye-opening experience. Martin is,above all else, a real people person. People reach out to Martinfrom all walks of life-people for whom he has done some small orlarge kindness and people who remember his dedication and per-sonality. Martin remembers them all by name, and always re-sponds with genuine interest and concern. People respect and likeMartin because he truly respects and likes them.Martin's resume cannot show how much fun he has in life orhow much fun he is to be with. Indeed, the extent of his profes-sional work appears to foreclose any possibility of either the timeor energy to do anything else. Not so: Martin is the one who leadsthe group in song at the piano, encouraging all the little children tojoin in; it is Martin's house where the students end their annualChristmas caroling evening, because they know the party will go onlong into the evening there. With Martin as dean, there was aparty for every occasion, and what parties. Whatever else welacked here at the law school, the wine and food flowed freely atMartin's house. Most of us just assumed that the law school some-how funded these gatherings, when in fact Martin hosted most ofthese splendid soirees from his own pocket. Martin's broad-rangingknowledge and appreciation of music, art, the theater, and litera-ture ensure that conversations with him anywhere will be livelyand challenging. However, no pretense exists: Martin's house is199415Dietrich et al.: "A Man For All Seasons"Published by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 1994MONTANA LAW REVIEWhung with wonderful art from the best of contemporary artists aswell as with a black velvet oil painting of Elvis shedding a singletear.In sum, Martin Burke is the consummate scholar and gen-tleman, with all the best connotations of those two words. TheUniversity of Montana School of Law was fortunate indeed to en-roll Martin as a student, more fortunate that he decided to devotehis considerable talents to legal education here, and more fortu-nate yet that he dedicated five years of his life to being our dean.Our best fortune, however, arises from the fact that Martin is stillamong us, guiding students, faculty, and the bar by his sterlingexample.We, the faculty, thank Martin for all he has done as a col-league and as a dean for us individually and for the institution as awhole. We honor him for his commitment, integrity, ability, andcompassion. Most of all, we love him. Martin, as dean and as pro-fessor, makes our small community and the larger world around ita much better place.Cynthia Ford[Vol. 556Montana Law Review, Vol. 55 [1994], Iss. 1, Art. 1https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1TRIBUTEFormer Dean Burke is one of those people who is always will-ing to go out of his way to help you. When I was considering a lawschool, he was the main reason that I applied to the University ofMontana. Not only had I heard many good things about his char-acter, interest in students, and great teaching ability, but I heardhim speak to a group of prospective law students. His presence,enthusiasm, and encouragement were tremendously impressive. Iremember feeling at the time that everyone in that room could besuccessful both in law school and in the legal profession. Now, as athird-year law student, I know first hand that Martin Burke was"for real" when he gave that speech.Martin Burke's successes, whether in the form of student sup-port or contributions to the law school and legal community, can-not be fairly summarized in this short tribute. Whether as dean,professor, or attorney, Martin Burke can be described as one to-tally dedicated to the legal profession. In addition to his law schoolresponsibilities, he contributes time to many university committeesand community organizations.One of Martin Burke's most impressive qualities is his abilityto always make himself available to students. Not only is he willingto meet with students to answer questions from his tax classes, buthe also is willing to assist students in their job searches, law schoolexchange programs, pursuit of advanced tax degrees, and any otherstudent needs. This accessibility is greatly appreciated by his stu-dents. He is always there for the students.As a professor, Martin Burke teaches one of the most difficultlaw school topics-tax. He approaches his classes with the ideathat all of the students in his courses will be successful. Through-out the semester he encouraged the students to "turn the crystal"to enable the class to see the issues at hand from all perspectives.Students enjoy learning from a professor who is genuinely con-cerned with whether students learn the material. Because tax is myarea of emphasis, I have a special bias toward having the opportu-nity to learn from Martin Burke. Students, past and present, ac-knowledge that they too are fortunate to have had the opportunityto learn tax law from him and have used what they learned inpractice.Martin Burke worked as an advocate for the students duringhis time as dean. Even now he continues to help students, neverfailing to take the time to chat in the hall or wish a student goodluck on finals. Because he stays involved with such a variety ofstudent activities-the Christmas party, Christian Legal Society,Phi Delta Phi, Student Bar Association-most students develop a1994]7Dietrich et al.: "A Man For All Seasons"Published by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 19948 MONTANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 55personal relationship with Martin Burke. Through these many ac-tivities, students are reminded that he takes a genuine interest ineach student. Martin Burke will be missed as the dean because hetruly represents what education should be. Martin Burke, thankyou for all your great work.Ann Monaghan8Montana Law Review, Vol. 55 [1994], Iss. 1, Art. 1https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol55/iss1/1

https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1619&amp;context=mlr

A Man For All Seasons : A Tribute to Dean J. Martin Burke

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