Jim Burns (basketball)
Jim Burns (James Burton Burns) was an American lawyer and former professional basketball player who served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois from 1993 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton.
Born on September 21, 1945, in Quincy, Illinois, Burns grew up in McLeansboro and became an all-state basketball player. He attended Northwestern University (1964–1967), where he led the team in scoring for three straight seasons and earned both All-American and Academic All-American honors in 1967. He is among Northwestern’s all-time leaders in scoring and records. Burns was inducted into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.
Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1967 (4th round, 34th overall), Burns played briefly in the NBA (three games in the 1967–68 season) and also spent time with the Dallas Chaparrals in the ABA. After basketball, he returned to Northwestern to earn a Juris Doctor degree and began a career in law.
Burns worked as a federal prosecutor from 1971 to 1978, eventually becoming chief of the criminal litigation division. He later practiced law privately and became active in Democratic politics. He was Neil Hartigan’s running mate for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in the 1990 election, a race they narrowly lost.
In 1993, Burns was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, a position he held until 1997. His office was known for investigations into political corruption. He later ran for governor in 1998 but finished fourth in the Democratic primary.
In April 2000, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White appointed Burns as inspector general, a role he held until his death. Jim Burns died on December 11, 2020, at age 75. He was the father of actress Heather Burns.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:45 (CET).