Lucius E. Burch, Jr.
| Lucius E. Burch, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 25, 1912 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | March 10, 1996 |
| Residence |
Collierville, Tennessee Beersheba Springs, Tennessee |
| Education | Vanderbilt University (B.A., J.D.) |
| Occupation | Attorney, conservationist, philanthropist |
| Spouse(s) | Elsie Caldwell |
| Children | 4 daughters |
| Parent(s) | Lucius E. Burch Sarah Polk Cooper |
Lucius Edward Burch, Jr. (January 25, 1912–March 10, 1996) was an American attorney based in Memphis, Tennessee, who is best known for his contributions in the areas of conservation and civil rights and has been described as "the most liberal conscience in Memphis."
Burch was born near Nashville, Tennessee, in 1912. His father, Dr. Lucius E. Burch, was the Dean of Vanderbilt University Medical School, and his mother was the former Sarah ("Sadie") Polk Cooper. The family's ancestry included U.S. presidents Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk, Nashville founder John Donelson, and Episcopal bishop and Confederate Army general Leonidas Polk. Burch spent much of his childhood at Riverwood, a Nashville mansion that belonged to his mother's family. He attended the Peabody Demonstration School (now University School of Nashville), graduating in 1930. After completing his undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University, Burch enrolled at Vanderbilt University Law School, obtaining his law degree in 1936.
Burch joined the Memphis law firm of Burch, Minor and McKay, headed at the time by an uncle, Charles N. Burch. The firm's three senior partners died within the next few years and Burch inherited the firm's leadership. Together with new partners Jesse Johnson and John Porter, Burch was to lead the firm, now named Burch, Porter, and Johnson, for some fifty years.
Burch became one of the most active trial lawyers of his era, participating in many well-known trials. He was active in political affairs, opposing the Memphis political machine of E. H. Crump and supporting the civil rights movement. In 1968, he worked on behalf of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a successful effort to lift a U.S. District Court injunction against a planned march in support of the striking workers in the Memphis Sanitation Strike.
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