Thomas W. and Karen D. Burkart started Burkart Law Offices on March 10, 1986, shortly after graduating from St. Louis University School of Law and passing the Illinois bar exam. They passed the Missouri bar exam in 1987 and chose for their location a crossroads in northeast Madison County in Hamel, Illinois.

Initially, the couple worked as a husband and wife legal team, but after two years Mrs. Burkart accepted an appointment by Justice Charles Chapman of the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court to be his senior law clerk. She worked full time in that capacity researching the law and assisting Justice Chapman in writing the opinions that make the law in Illinois for 13 years. She is published, and she co-authored many teaching seminars with Justice Chapman. During this time the Burkart Law firm grew to three other associate lawyers with five support staff and two office locations.

Since then, Mrs. Burkart rejoined the firm, bringing her research and analytical skills to support the accomplishment of clients' goals. In 2008, concentrating more on the law and less on supervising associates, the Burkarts consolidated offices and returned to a husband and wife duo. They are known in Southern and Central Illinois for trying cases together as a team, complementing each other's strengths.

The Burkarts work together, joined by a fully certified paralegal Rona Krueger and an office secretary Jerilyn Copeland, who is enrolled in paralegal studies. They operate full time out of their Hamel office.