Thomas H. Burke

Tom represents financial institutions, credit institutions, and other lenders in commercial and agricultural transactions on a daily basis. He leads other attorneys in the firm in handling a broad range of lending matters, including asset-based lending, acquisition financing, real estate lending, project financing, and traditional commercial lending.

He is familiar with the restructure and recovery of complex problem business credits including negotiation, restructuring and re-documenting the credit, litigating loan recovery actions, representing clients in bankruptcy proceedings, and defending lender liability claims. As needed, he works closely with litigation attorneys who can effectively defend clients in the most appropriate venue.

Tom was described by a client in Chambers USA as “an exceptionally good real estate transactional lawyer who is responsive and can solve challenging issues with a very practical approach.” Throughout his career, he has sharpened this reputation as a dealmaker and negotiator who is on speed dial for clients in Iowa and across the country. He was also rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions: Banking & Finance and Bankruptcy and Credit Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and ranked on Great Plains Super Lawyers for Business/Corp.

Des Moines Community leadership

Tom and his wife Peg are very active in the Des Moines community, participating in philanthropic activities such as the Greater Des Moines Committee, UnityPoint Health Foundation, and others.

Notable Work

• Tom represented a lender group in a $45 million dollar construction and permanent financing transaction in which Whitfield & Eddy’s clients provided the financing for two large warehouse properties in Des Moines.
• Tom represented the lender in a $20 million dollar bond funding transaction for a rural county hospital in Iowa for extensive renovations and improvements.
• Tom has represented secured lenders in the refinancing of over $125 million dollars in commercial real estate loans for various commercial properties throughout the state of Iowa in calendar year 2017 alone.

Contact Tom Burke

Contact Tom today or call 515-288-6041 for more information. 

Honors & Recognitions

• AV Preeminent® Judicial Edition rating by Martindale-Hubbell
• Selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a Leading Lawyer in Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions: Banking & Finance (2012—2023)
• Selected by Best Lawyers in America as the Des Moines area's "Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2019, 2021)
• Selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America as a top-ranked attorney in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2012—2025)
• Selected for inclusion in Great Plains Super Lawyers in the area of Business/Corp (2015—2020, 2023—2024)