John Thomas Burns Jr

PRO

John Thomas Burns Jr

4.1
Rating: 9.5

Licensed for 33 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Burnsville, MN
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Family, Child Custody ... +2 more

14300 Nicollet Court, Suite 200, Burnsville, MN

Free Consultation

About John

Biography

Practice limited to family law for over twenty years.

One of the most respected and experienced family law attorneys in the state of Minnesota.

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Divorce and Separation 30%

Practice limited to and includes all areas of family law including alimony, adoption, child custody, child support, divorce/separation, antenuptuals/prenuptuals. One of the most experienced family law appellate lawyers in the state of Minnesota with over 60 cases argued to the MN Court of Appeals and MN Supreme Court.

33 years | 3,000 cases

30%
Child Custody 25%

25%
Family 25%

25%
Appeals 10%

10%
Child Support 10%

10%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Awards

Distinguished Peer Review Rating
Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2014

Licenses

Licensed in Minnesota for 33 years

State: Minnesota

Acquired: 1992

Authorized to Practice

No misconduct found

Location

Burns Law Office

14300 Nicollet Court, Suite 200, Burnsville, MN, 55306-8329

jburnslaw.com

Online Presence

Other places you can find John online.

John Thomas Burns Jr's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.1 /5.0

28 Client Reviews

5 star (22)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (6)

Posted by Jill | April 22, 2022 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

BEST FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY IN MINNESOTA!!

BEST FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY IN MINNESOTA!!! I hired John Burns based on a referral from a friend who told me that John was the BEST divorce lawyer in the state. She was right!! John was INCREDIBLE!! He listened attentively to my concerns, he was reassuring and made me feel at ease when things were cha...otic and upside down in my life. Additionally, he was very clear about what to expect from the process of divorce, he answered every phone call and email, he was tough as nails when he needed to be and I was impressed to discover his skills at negotiation when it came time to settle. My divorce took only a few months from start to finish and his fees were extremely fair and reasonable. His staff were very responsive when I had random questions. Overall, John Burns and his team are AMAZING and I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone and would gladly go back to him if I need legal help again.BEST FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY IN MINNESOTA!!!

Posted by Kat | November 4, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Solid compassionate lawyer

John is a lawyer who knows his business. He expertly walked me through a very difficult divorce and fought for me every step of the way. His compassionate nature was needed during a very delicate time.

Posted by Nancy | October 6, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Fights and advocates for you

I had a narcissistic ex that was going to take me for everything. John stopped that from occurring. He fought for me and the kids and we overcame so many obstacles my ex threw at us. My ex continues to try to drag this out but John will not allow for this. We are taking the matters to the judge and h...opefully we will be final soon. If it weren’t for John and his amazing team my ex probably would have got more of what he wanted. John believed in my fight and has backed me up 100% and fought for me. I highly recommend John and his team. I refer him all of the time in my divorce groups and they have been successful with John as well.

Posted by Nicole | March 13, 2020 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Well-versed and seasoned attorney

After finding myself in a very confusing legal process pertaining to the parenting time with my son, I knew I needed to find a new attorney who could help untangle what the court had done. I met with a dozen attorneys and I am so grateful I hired John! Within our first meeting, John gave me immed...iate confidence that he could not only help with the current proceedings, but that we would win an appeal. Every step of the 18 month process, John's expertise, persistence, and exceptional understanding of the law allowed us to prevail at the court of appeals. He assured us he would win our case and would fix everything that had been done - and he did! I would recommend John to anyone who finds themselves in a challenging legal situation - especially custody and parenting time. He is strategic in his approach, confident in his delivery, and assertive in protecting the interests of his clients. Without John, I'm not sure if my appeal process would have gone as successfully as it did. My family will forever be indebted to John and the diligence and care he placed on our case. He will do the right thing, all the time and that is irreplaceable in family law.

Posted by Eric | February 27, 2020 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Law expertise

John gave me great confidence - his command of the law and professionalism can not be overstated. John successfully defended my case understanding fairness, and my rights under the law, not to mention his superior expertise vs opposing counsel. I can not emphasize the level of character - integrity -... and knowledge you have in your corner with Burns Law Office.

See All Client Reviews

John Thomas Burns Jr's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse John
Howard I Bass headshot
Howard Bass

Divorce and separation lawyer | Nov 17

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I wholeheartedly endorse this attorney. John is one of the best family lawyers in Minnesota. I met him many years ago as an adversary and his tenacious representation of his client immediately earned my respect. Since then I have referred countless clients to him and consistently receive positive feedback about his representation. If you need a family lawyer, I strongly encourage you to contact John Burns."

Christopher J. Burns headshot
Christopher Burns

Family lawyer | Nov 13

Relationship: Family member

"John is a well respected divorce attorney who has done a very good job zealously advocating for the clients I have referred to him. I endorse John and will continue to encourage friends and referral sources to send family law matters in the south metro to him as well."

View All Endorsements
Christopher Joseph Burns headshot
Christopher Burns

Divorce and separation lawyer

Howard I Bass headshot
Howard Bass

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.5 (Superb)

Honors

2020

Distinguished, Martindale-Hubbell

2015

BV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2014

BV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2014

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2014

Clients Choice, AVVO

2006

Dakota County Hero's Award, Legal Aid of Dakota County

2004

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2003

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2003

Who's Who in American Law, Law & Politics Magazine

Work Experience

1996 - 1998

Partner, Sheridan & Burns

1994 - 1996

Partner, Knutson, Stier, Earley, Knutson, Sheridan & Burns

1994 - 2024

Owner, Burns Law Office

1992 - 1994

Lawyer, McMenomy, Hanson & McCann

1990 - 1992

law clerk, Indiana Supreme Court

Associations

2004 - Present

Dakota County Bar Association

Board of Directors

1993 - Present

First Judicial District Ethics Committee

Member

1992 - Present

First Judicial District Bar Association

Member

1992 - Present

Minnesota State Bar Association

Member

1992 - Present

American Bar Association

Member

2004 - 2006

Dakota County Bar Association

President

2000 - 2002

First Judicial District Bar Association

President

Sample of Legal Cases

Anne Heaney v. Bruce Heaney

Court of Appeals reversed award of custody to wife.

Heather McGraw v. Timothy McGraw

Court of Appeals reversed extension of Parenting Consultant's term.

Mary Myhre vs. Steven Myhre

Court of Appeals reversed awards of spousal maintenence, child support and attorney's fees and remanded the case back to the District Court for further proceedings.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1992

Indiana University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1989

Minnesota State University, Mankato

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2014

Litigation & Alternative Disputes Seminar

Practitioners Guide to Navigating Early Neutral Process

2007

Minnesota Family Law Las Vegas Seminar

Trends in Family Law

2006

Minnesota Family Law Brainerd Seminar

Trends in Minnesota Family Law

Publications

2013

Burns Law Blog Who Keeps the House

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

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What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution