Thomas Burns

Thomas A. Burns

Curriculum Vitae

View Thomas Burns's CV

Sample Briefs

Valleycrest Landscape Maintenance, Inc. and ARI Fleet LT v. Samantha M. Justyn in the Florida First District Court of Appeal
Colin A. Edwards v. Bryan C. Shanley and Justin E. Lovett in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Dempsey & Associates, P.A. v. Harold Dale Lindon, et al. in the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal

Sample Oral Arguments

Howard v. Kraus in the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (12/18/15)
RRY, Inc. v Chisler in the District Court of Appeal Second District, State of Florida (11/18/15)
United States v. Reese in the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (3/20/15)

Thomas A. Burns

Thomas Burns is board-certified by The Florida Bar as an appellate specialist. He is experienced with appellate matters, as well as having extensive experience defending and prosecuting lawsuits at the trial level in both federal and state courts. Mr. Burns has a demonstrated commitment to pro bono service, having won Sidley Austin LLP's Vincent Prada Pro Bono Award in 2006 and 2007 and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP's Frank Wheat Memorial Award in 2008.

Mr. Burns opened a firm as a sole practitioner in 2013, and while he continues to maintain a separate practice, he also joined Creed & Gowdy in 2015 in an of-counsel capacity. Prior to opening his own firm, Mr. Burns practiced for five years in Washington, D.C., with Sidley Austin LLP and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. 

Mr. Burns was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. His mother is a retired architect from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and his father is a retired atomic physicist from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Mr. Burns is proficient in French and speaks rudimentary Greek and Spanish. Outside the office, Mr. Burns enjoys playing tennis, reading, and watching movies and sports.

Recent Publications:

  • Navigating the New Florida Appellate Mediation Rules, LAWYER,Summer 2011, at 14-15
  • Florida State and Federal Appellate Rules: Distictions with a Difference, FLA. B.J., June 2010, at 74-76

Recent Speaking Engagements:

  • Distictions between State and Federal Appellate Practice,the Florida Bar Appellate Section Practice Section (March 18, 2011)