Edward “Ed” Burbach chairs Foley & Lardner’s government solutions practice group, co-chairs Foley’s state attorneys general and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) consumer practices, and is managing partner of the Austin office.

Burbach leverages his experience as both a litigation lawyer and a leading state regulator and enforcer to handle high-stakes regulatory claims for clients. With this unique background, he counsels corporations, individuals, and governmental entities in matters involving local, state, and federal governments—with emphasis on state attorneys general and the FTC. He and his team members maintain strong relationships with all state attorneys general and their staffs and regularly attend major general meetings for the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), Attorney General Alliance, Republican Attorneys General Association, and Democratic Attorneys General Association. Most recently, Burbach led an interdisciplinary Foley team throughout a three-and-a-half-year investigation followed by four years of litigation in Chicago; Trenton, NJ; and Dallas federal courts resulting in the historic Sept. 28, 2023, federal trial court victory in FTC v. Neora. As a result, The American Lawyer’s Oct. 6, 2023, Litigation Daily honored Burbach by naming him and two other Foley trial partners as “Litigators of the Week” in the United States.

Over the past three decades, Burbach has handled unfair and deceptive acts and practices (UDAP), Medicaid fraud, FTC, price gouging, Freedom of Information Act / State Public Information Act litigation, and attorney general opinions. He has advised clients on strategy and programs related to environmental, social, and corporate governance issues and transactions, including state anti-boycott statutes. He has litigated significant government, pharmaceutical, health-care provider, retailer, direct sales and multilevel marketing companies, insurance, energy, maritime, financial services, corporate, multistate, and class-action claims.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed Burbach as his original deputy attorney general for litigation while Abbott was state attorney general. In this capacity, Burbach served as Texas’ lead litigator and directly supervised all of Abbott’s 11 civil litigation divisions including 250 attorneys, over 600 employees, and a $35 million budget. Burbach also served as Texas’ main litigation liaison with the NAAG during Abbott’s first and second terms as state attorney general. Burbach maintained a heavy litigation docket representing the state and its leadership in high-profile litigation such as energy, financial services, environmental, the Public Information Act, the historic Texas Tobacco Settlement Program, school finance, congressional redistricting, and election law challenges brought by major political candidates. During Burbach’s tenure, Abbott says, “The state civil Medicaid fraud division uncovered more than $100 million in fraudulent Medicaid overpayments and the Consumer Protection Division obtained tens of millions of dollars in restitution for Texas consumers.” Abbott described Burbach as “a trusted advisor” with “expert legal skills and careful management.”