P. Sharkey Burke
Partner
Sharkey Burke is a partner at Anderson Crawley & Burke. He focuses his practice on defending employers, insurers, and governmental entities in workers’ compensation, employment, and civil litigation matters.
Sharkey has extensive experience representing defendants in state and federal courts throughout Mississippi, with a primary emphasis on workers’ compensation defense and employment-related disputes. He also regularly defends counties, municipalities, school districts, and other governmental entities in tort and civil rights claims.
In addition to his legal practice, Sharkey frequently presents seminars and training programs for claims professionals and employers on Mississippi workers’ compensation law and employment issues. He is also a trained mediator and has served in leadership and advisory roles for professional and community organizations.
EDUCATION
Mississippi College School of Law, J.D., 1996
Millsaps College, B.S., 1992
BAR ADMISSIONS
Mississippi, 1996
COURT ADMISSIONS
U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
U.S. District Court, N.D. Mississippi
U.S. District Court, S.D. Mississippi
Representative Matters
Successfully litigated MWCC case and defended the decisions of the Workers’ Compensation Commission in connection with claimant’s appeal to the Mississippi Court of Appeals – White v. The Home Depot and New Hampshire Insurance Co., 404 So. 3d 1216 (Miss. Ct. App. 2024);
Obtained dismissal with prejudice and denial of benefits for employer and carrier before MWCC as to the issue of compensability (2017);
Successfully appealed MWCC’s dismissal of claimant’s petition to reinstate claim for workers’ compensation benefits – Paul R. Cook v. The Home Depot and American Home Assurance Co., 81 So. 3d 1126 (Miss. Ct. App. 2011), aff’d 81 So. 3d 1041 (Miss. 2012);
Obtained dismissal on behalf of the Mississippi Department of Transportation in connection with plaintiff’s Section 1983 and MS Tort Claims Act lawsuit (2008);
Obtained summary judgment on behalf of employer in a plaintiff’s employment discrimination lawsuit, including plaintiff’s Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”) claim and state law claims against employer – Ray v. Levi Strauss & Co., 2006 WL 267136 (S.D. Miss. Jan. 31, 2006), 2006 WL 1028892 (S.D. Miss. April 18, 2006), aff’d 215 Fed. App’x 361 (5th Cir. 2007);
Obtained dismissal on behalf of the Mississippi Highway Patrol in connection with plaintiff’s Section 1983 and MS Tort Claims Act lawsuit (2007);
Obtained defense verdict at trial and successfully appealed trial court’s order setting aside the jury verdict and granting plaintiff’s motion for a new trial – White v. Stewman, 932 So. 2d 27 (Miss. 2006);
Obtained directed verdict at trial for defendant in a premises liability case (2005);
Successfully litigated MWCC proceeding and obtained decision for the employer and carrier as to complicated issues in connection with choice of physician that was subsequently upheld by the full Commission on petition for review (2005);
Obtained summary judgment on behalf of defendant in connection with a complex tortious interference with business relations claim (2005);
Obtained defense verdict at trial and successfully appealed trial court’s injunction preventing city from closing airport and upholding city’s creation of municipal airport authority – Falco Lime, Inc. v. Mayor and Alderman of City of Vicksburg, 836 So. 2d 711 (Miss. 2002)
Honors & Activities
The Best Lawyers in America®, Workers’ Compensation Law - Employers (listed annually since 2023)
Mississippi Business Journal, Leaders in the Law (2014)
Presentations:
“Novel Issues of Course and Scope”, Sterling Education Services, Inc. (2008)
“Workers Compensation Law Update and Case Law”, Sterling Education Services, Inc.(2008)
“Summary of Mississippi Workers’ Compensation”, Mississippi Insurance Day (2009)
“Intentional Tort Exception to the Exclusive Remedy”, MS Workers’ Compensation Education Conference (2009)