team-member

John Burns

Burnsville, MN

N/A

Law Degree

Awards

Primary Practice Area

Child custody

Language

English

About

 At Burns Law Office our practice is limited to family law matters such as  divorce/separation, child custody, child support, father's rights, alimony/spousal maintenance, prenuptials and related matters.  John is one of the most respected and experienced attorneys in divorce appellate law throughout the state of Minnesota.  He has successfully argued more than 60 cases to the MN Court of Appeals and the MN Supreme Court as well as countless motions, trials and contested matters in district court.John handles complex and high-conflict divorces, high-asset cases, hidden accounts and property investigation matters, protection of business assets, and contested child custody as well as many straightforward and amicable divorce resolutions.  He practices primarily in Dakota, Scott, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington and Carver counties but takes cases throughout the state. John grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1985. He attended Mankato State University on a football scholarship and graduated in 1989. After that, John attended Law School at Indiana Universtiy where he graduated with honors in 1992.John returned to Minnesota and began his practice in Rosemount, Minnesota. He moved his office to Burnsville in 1994 and has remained in the same location for over twenty years. In his free time, John likes traveling and perfecting his chilli recipe. He coaches youth sports and cheers for the Vikings and Timberwolves. He has completed over 15 marathons including the Boston Marathon and dozens of triathlons capped off with the Hawaii Ironman.  

Practices Areas

Child custody

Child support

Divorce and separation

Family

Language

English

Contact

Burns Law Office14300 Nicollet CourtSuite 200Burnsville, MN, 55306-8329 Office (952) 260-6376 Office (952) 898-6834 Fax (952) 435-1720 14300 Nicollet CourtSuite 200Suite 200Burnsville, MN, 55306-8329 Office (952) 260-6376(952) 260-6376 Office (952) 898-6834(952) 898-6834 Fax (952) 435-1720(952) 435-1720

Office: (952) 236-1587

Website: N/A

Reviews

Eric
February 27, 2020

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.

Joleen
November 25, 2019

I hired John to represent me for a child custody case after initially using an attorney I wasn't happy with. I was referred to John by a family member who had used John in his divorce. I am SO thankful I decided to go with John. He is thorough, knowledgeable, and has a strong court presence. His legal assistant was great too! I'm an extremely detail oriented person and wanted to make sure every important aspect in my case was being addressed. They both worked with me to make sure my case was fought the best way possible. The other party in my case ended up violating the terms of our court order more than once, so we ended up back in court three times - John represented me every time and EVERY time we have been back to court, I have had a favorable outcome. I highly recommend John and his team.

Kat
November 4, 2021

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.

Nancy
October 6, 2021

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 hopefully 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.

Nicole
March 13, 2020

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 immediate 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.

Dinesh
July 23, 2019

When I presented my case to John Burns in late 2018 I was in need of representation for an appeal of a district court divorce decree involving a very uncooperative party. When he took this case, it was a very uphill battle as the other party painted me as the worst father and human being you could imagine in front of the trial court. The case was complicated and involved matters of several OFP requests to prevent parenting time as well as significant alimony and child support. As you can imagine, it is very stressful and of great importance to get the appeal right because it is something that impacts the rest of your life, including whether I would be able to ever be a part of my children’s lives and whether I could ever be financially stable as long as I live, being that lifetime alimony was awarded and sole physical and legal custody was given to the other party. It was a really, really bad situation for everyone involved. It is comforting to go into John's office and see the many awards he has won. But what matters most is having someone who believes in your case after studying it and really believing in it...not just saying something to make you feel good. John did that for me. The support team around him in the office from the reception desk to his legal assistant Dawn were responsive and well informed. They tackled my case as a great team and genuinely work hard throughout. John reviewed my case and explained step by step the process and his honest thoughts on appeal and assured me he would work hard on the case. John has kept his word and more over the last 9 plus months. Throughout this emotional journey he has been aware of how hard it has been for me as well, and has fought for me with genuine concern for my wellbeing. Throughout the case John has been helpful to answer questions promptly and involve me in the case. He has helped me come up with a plan to manage the case most effectively and keep costs down when possible. This was huge for me considering the exhausting financial damage already underway as a result of the trial court’s orders. Inside the courtroom John is well-spoken, provides a powerful argument, and knows the case and potential comeback arguments and delivers responses eloquently. I have been proud when he represents me in court. John is clearly ethical and does not engage in unproductive back and forth that does not matter to the judges who actually make the decisions. Trust has never been an issue because he proved himself with his contact and work. In an already emotionally charged situation (what divorce isn’t) John is exactly the type of lawyer you want to have. He is far more effective than many divorce lawyers, because he is more competent and delivers arguments with legal reason and not emotion-driven attack games. He is respected and does not expect to get more out of a situation by yelling about it, but by providing sound argument in a dignified way. When appearing before the Court of Appeals he was confident, knowledgeable, well prepared, and it showed. He was able to answer difficult questions without a blink of an eye and I saw his hard work and preparation on that day. I felt proud walking out of there. No matter the outcome of the case I know John has worked as hard as possible on my case and because of the way he is as a person I am sure he does that for all of his cases. I would absolutely recommend John because he is ethical, very competent, experienced, well-connected, and talented at what he does.

Kelly Merdan and Thomas Zahler
July 23, 2019

John is a professional through and through. His candor and legal acumen are second to none. We appreciated John's expertise and robust defense of us in light of ongoing school choice matter. We would not hesitate to recommend him to any of our friends and family.

anonymous
June 17, 2018

John Burns and his Legal Team went above-and-beyond to make sure the unfortunate Criminal Charges I faced didn't stand in the way of me raising my two year old daughter. John's representation truly embodies my views on what to fight for, giving me peace of mind on how he is responding to the opposing counsel. I have gained a wealth of knowledge on my case due to John describing the immense mandates of Divorce Law in layman's terms. Every decision made on my behalf is explained to me so I don't walk out of the courtroom second guessing his. We have yet to settle the final divorce, but the outcome in the last year has been amazing. I genuinely feel like John is part of my family fighting for me and my daughter. I truly can't thank you him and his team enough for everything they have done for me. The decision to go with Burns Law Office will be one that I will never forget and always be grateful for.

Karen
December 14, 2017

I was referred to John by another attorney. I moved out of state during my divorce so I was concerned that I would have to travel back many times to finish my case. I was very pleased with how John was able to handle everything over a long distance. I’m sure it took extra time and energy from him to make it work. I would recommend Mr. Burns to anyone needing a family law attorney.

Jan
December 12, 2017

Mr. Burns provided excellent advice and helped me manage a difficult situation. He found professional experts to assist in my claim, he prepared me for court and he artfully negotiated a settlement that exceeded expectations and eliminated the need for a hearing. I can recommend him without reservation.

Eric
February 27, 2020

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.

Joleen
November 25, 2019

I hired John to represent me for a child custody case after initially using an attorney I wasn't happy with. I was referred to John by a family member who had used John in his divorce. I am SO thankful I decided to go with John. He is thorough, knowledgeable, and has a strong court presence. His legal assistant was great too! I'm an extremely detail oriented person and wanted to make sure every important aspect in my case was being addressed. They both worked with me to make sure my case was fought the best way possible. The other party in my case ended up violating the terms of our court order more than once, so we ended up back in court three times - John represented me every time and EVERY time we have been back to court, I have had a favorable outcome. I highly recommend John and his team.

Kat
November 4, 2021

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.

Nancy
October 6, 2021

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 hopefully 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.

Nicole
March 13, 2020

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 immediate 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.

Dinesh
July 23, 2019

When I presented my case to John Burns in late 2018 I was in need of representation for an appeal of a district court divorce decree involving a very uncooperative party. When he took this case, it was a very uphill battle as the other party painted me as the worst father and human being you could imagine in front of the trial court. The case was complicated and involved matters of several OFP requests to prevent parenting time as well as significant alimony and child support. As you can imagine, it is very stressful and of great importance to get the appeal right because it is something that impacts the rest of your life, including whether I would be able to ever be a part of my children’s lives and whether I could ever be financially stable as long as I live, being that lifetime alimony was awarded and sole physical and legal custody was given to the other party. It was a really, really bad situation for everyone involved. It is comforting to go into John's office and see the many awards he has won. But what matters most is having someone who believes in your case after studying it and really believing in it...not just saying something to make you feel good. John did that for me. The support team around him in the office from the reception desk to his legal assistant Dawn were responsive and well informed. They tackled my case as a great team and genuinely work hard throughout. John reviewed my case and explained step by step the process and his honest thoughts on appeal and assured me he would work hard on the case. John has kept his word and more over the last 9 plus months. Throughout this emotional journey he has been aware of how hard it has been for me as well, and has fought for me with genuine concern for my wellbeing. Throughout the case John has been helpful to answer questions promptly and involve me in the case. He has helped me come up with a plan to manage the case most effectively and keep costs down when possible. This was huge for me considering the exhausting financial damage already underway as a result of the trial court’s orders. Inside the courtroom John is well-spoken, provides a powerful argument, and knows the case and potential comeback arguments and delivers responses eloquently. I have been proud when he represents me in court. John is clearly ethical and does not engage in unproductive back and forth that does not matter to the judges who actually make the decisions. Trust has never been an issue because he proved himself with his contact and work. In an already emotionally charged situation (what divorce isn’t) John is exactly the type of lawyer you want to have. He is far more effective than many divorce lawyers, because he is more competent and delivers arguments with legal reason and not emotion-driven attack games. He is respected and does not expect to get more out of a situation by yelling about it, but by providing sound argument in a dignified way. When appearing before the Court of Appeals he was confident, knowledgeable, well prepared, and it showed. He was able to answer difficult questions without a blink of an eye and I saw his hard work and preparation on that day. I felt proud walking out of there. No matter the outcome of the case I know John has worked as hard as possible on my case and because of the way he is as a person I am sure he does that for all of his cases. I would absolutely recommend John because he is ethical, very competent, experienced, well-connected, and talented at what he does.

Kelly Merdan and Thomas Zahler
July 23, 2019

John is a professional through and through. His candor and legal acumen are second to none. We appreciated John's expertise and robust defense of us in light of ongoing school choice matter. We would not hesitate to recommend him to any of our friends and family.

anonymous
June 17, 2018

John Burns and his Legal Team went above-and-beyond to make sure the unfortunate Criminal Charges I faced didn't stand in the way of me raising my two year old daughter. John's representation truly embodies my views on what to fight for, giving me peace of mind on how he is responding to the opposing counsel. I have gained a wealth of knowledge on my case due to John describing the immense mandates of Divorce Law in layman's terms. Every decision made on my behalf is explained to me so I don't walk out of the courtroom second guessing his. We have yet to settle the final divorce, but the outcome in the last year has been amazing. I genuinely feel like John is part of my family fighting for me and my daughter. I truly can't thank you him and his team enough for everything they have done for me. The decision to go with Burns Law Office will be one that I will never forget and always be grateful for.

Karen
December 14, 2017

I was referred to John by another attorney. I moved out of state during my divorce so I was concerned that I would have to travel back many times to finish my case. I was very pleased with how John was able to handle everything over a long distance. I’m sure it took extra time and energy from him to make it work. I would recommend Mr. Burns to anyone needing a family law attorney.

Jan
December 12, 2017

Mr. Burns provided excellent advice and helped me manage a difficult situation. He found professional experts to assist in my claim, he prepared me for court and he artfully negotiated a settlement that exceeded expectations and eliminated the need for a hearing. I can recommend him without reservation.

Eric
February 27, 2020

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.

Joleen
November 25, 2019

I hired John to represent me for a child custody case after initially using an attorney I wasn't happy with. I was referred to John by a family member who had used John in his divorce. I am SO thankful I decided to go with John. He is thorough, knowledgeable, and has a strong court presence. His legal assistant was great too! I'm an extremely detail oriented person and wanted to make sure every important aspect in my case was being addressed. They both worked with me to make sure my case was fought the best way possible. The other party in my case ended up violating the terms of our court order more than once, so we ended up back in court three times - John represented me every time and EVERY time we have been back to court, I have had a favorable outcome. I highly recommend John and his team.

Kat
November 4, 2021

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.

Nancy
October 6, 2021

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 hopefully 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.

Nicole
March 13, 2020

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 immediate 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.

Dinesh
July 23, 2019

When I presented my case to John Burns in late 2018 I was in need of representation for an appeal of a district court divorce decree involving a very uncooperative party. When he took this case, it was a very uphill battle as the other party painted me as the worst father and human being you could imagine in front of the trial court. The case was complicated and involved matters of several OFP requests to prevent parenting time as well as significant alimony and child support. As you can imagine, it is very stressful and of great importance to get the appeal right because it is something that impacts the rest of your life, including whether I would be able to ever be a part of my children’s lives and whether I could ever be financially stable as long as I live, being that lifetime alimony was awarded and sole physical and legal custody was given to the other party. It was a really, really bad situation for everyone involved. It is comforting to go into John's office and see the many awards he has won. But what matters most is having someone who believes in your case after studying it and really believing in it...not just saying something to make you feel good. John did that for me. The support team around him in the office from the reception desk to his legal assistant Dawn were responsive and well informed. They tackled my case as a great team and genuinely work hard throughout. John reviewed my case and explained step by step the process and his honest thoughts on appeal and assured me he would work hard on the case. John has kept his word and more over the last 9 plus months. Throughout this emotional journey he has been aware of how hard it has been for me as well, and has fought for me with genuine concern for my wellbeing. Throughout the case John has been helpful to answer questions promptly and involve me in the case. He has helped me come up with a plan to manage the case most effectively and keep costs down when possible. This was huge for me considering the exhausting financial damage already underway as a result of the trial court’s orders. Inside the courtroom John is well-spoken, provides a powerful argument, and knows the case and potential comeback arguments and delivers responses eloquently. I have been proud when he represents me in court. John is clearly ethical and does not engage in unproductive back and forth that does not matter to the judges who actually make the decisions. Trust has never been an issue because he proved himself with his contact and work. In an already emotionally charged situation (what divorce isn’t) John is exactly the type of lawyer you want to have. He is far more effective than many divorce lawyers, because he is more competent and delivers arguments with legal reason and not emotion-driven attack games. He is respected and does not expect to get more out of a situation by yelling about it, but by providing sound argument in a dignified way. When appearing before the Court of Appeals he was confident, knowledgeable, well prepared, and it showed. He was able to answer difficult questions without a blink of an eye and I saw his hard work and preparation on that day. I felt proud walking out of there. No matter the outcome of the case I know John has worked as hard as possible on my case and because of the way he is as a person I am sure he does that for all of his cases. I would absolutely recommend John because he is ethical, very competent, experienced, well-connected, and talented at what he does.

Kelly Merdan and Thomas Zahler
July 23, 2019

John is a professional through and through. His candor and legal acumen are second to none. We appreciated John's expertise and robust defense of us in light of ongoing school choice matter. We would not hesitate to recommend him to any of our friends and family.

anonymous
June 17, 2018

John Burns and his Legal Team went above-and-beyond to make sure the unfortunate Criminal Charges I faced didn't stand in the way of me raising my two year old daughter. John's representation truly embodies my views on what to fight for, giving me peace of mind on how he is responding to the opposing counsel. I have gained a wealth of knowledge on my case due to John describing the immense mandates of Divorce Law in layman's terms. Every decision made on my behalf is explained to me so I don't walk out of the courtroom second guessing his. We have yet to settle the final divorce, but the outcome in the last year has been amazing. I genuinely feel like John is part of my family fighting for me and my daughter. I truly can't thank you him and his team enough for everything they have done for me. The decision to go with Burns Law Office will be one that I will never forget and always be grateful for.

Karen
December 14, 2017

I was referred to John by another attorney. I moved out of state during my divorce so I was concerned that I would have to travel back many times to finish my case. I was very pleased with how John was able to handle everything over a long distance. I’m sure it took extra time and energy from him to make it work. I would recommend Mr. Burns to anyone needing a family law attorney.

Jan
December 12, 2017

Mr. Burns provided excellent advice and helped me manage a difficult situation. He found professional experts to assist in my claim, he prepared me for court and he artfully negotiated a settlement that exceeded expectations and eliminated the need for a hearing. I can recommend him without reservation.