Like many talented young lawyers, Thomas A. Burns, the founding shareholder of Burns, P.A., began his legal career by clerking for a federal appellate judge and toiling for almost a decade in the appellate departments of large, respected law firms, such as Sidley Austin, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Hill, Ward & Henderson, and Greenberg Traurig. During that time, Thomas had the opportunity to work alongside appellate luminaries, such as Carter Phillips and Ted Olson, and to brief many significant appeals in the Supreme Court of the United States and other federal appellate or state supreme courts.

In 2012, however, Thomas left that big firm life and founded Burns, P.A. with a unique vision in mind: to offer individuals and small- or medium-sized businesses the appellate services of a highly credentialed and experienced large law firm, but along with the affordable fees and personalized care of a smaller law firm.

Slowly but surely, our firm has grown over time. Initially, we had only one attorney and a handful of active appeals. Today, however, we regularly maintain a docket of two or three dozen active appeals.

As the firm has grown, our priorities have remained the same. We are a law firm that enjoys the storytelling aspect of appellate practice. We abhor sharp or dishonest litigation tactics, and we practice the virtues of candor and patience. And, at all times, we remain faithful to our core values: i.e., our commitment to the highest standards of professional excellence, ethical integrity, collegiality, civility, and public service. 

Ultimately, trial is mayhem. The essence of appellate practice—and the reason why we love what we do—is the challenge of distilling that mayhem into briefs and oral arguments that acknowledge the imperfections of our clients’ cases while emphasizing their strengths. In short, our appellate lawyers are experienced, skillful, and creative. And we would love to have the opportunity to litigate your appeal.