Patrick Burns is an experienced trial lawyer and conflict resolution professional, and is dedicated to resolving matters in the least adversarial and most cost-effective manner possible. Licensed to practice law in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. As a trial lawyer, Patrick has handled a wide variety of cases, including personal injury and criminal defense cases, business and insurance coverage disputes, and franchise and employment matters in military, state and federal courts.
Patrick also represents parties in mediations and arbitrations in a wide range of disputes. Patrick earned B.S., M.P.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of South Dakota. He also earned an LL.M in Dispute Resolution from the Pepperdine School of Law Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution in Malibu, California.
After being appointed a Hennepin County (Minn.) District Court mediator in numerous pro bono cases, Patrick has been very active in establishing pro bono and flat fee mediation programs in Hennepin County. He has also served as a mediator for the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights and has represented Minnesota GreenStar, Minnesota’s leading third-party certifier of green building, remodeling and design.
Patrick focuses his ADR practice on civil litigation, and represents individuals, businesses and non-profits with issues ranging from:
- Corporate
- Employment
- Franchise
- Commercial / contract matters
In addition to being a practicing mediator and arbitrator, he has extensive experience representing parties in mediation and arbitration, and formerly served as vice president of the American Arbitration Association in Minneapolis.
Patrick is also one of four mediators in Minnesota to be certified by the International Mediation Institute (IMI). He was recognized in 2014 – Present as a “Super Lawyer” for ADR and Litigation by Minnesota Super Lawyers magazine. He is listed annually in the peer-review publication Best Lawyers, and Minnesota Lawyer named him one of 20 “Up and Coming Attorneys” in the state in 2007. In 2010 he was named a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in ADR and litigation. Patrick was formerly the chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s 400+ member ADR Section.
Patrick was formerly the Vice President of the American Arbitration Association’s (AAA) Minneapolis Regional Office. He also worked as a trial lawyer in the U. S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps from 2001-2004. He is on the AAA’s national panel of mediators and arbitrators and serves as a mediator through the Minneapolis Dept. of Civil Rights, ValueSolve ADR and the 4th Judicial District (Hennepin County) pro bono and flat fee mediation program.
Education
- Pepperdine University School of Law, LL.M, Dispute Resolution, 2015
- Judge Advocate Generals School of the Army, Graduate, Military Law, 2001
- The University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law, Juris Doctor, Law, 2000
- The University of South Dakota, Master’s degree, Public Administration, 2000
- The University of South Dakota, Bachelor of Science, Speech and Philosophy – Double Major, 1993
Memberships & Affiliations
- Minnesota and Wisconsin State Bars
- State Bar Association of North Dakota
- The State Bar of South Dakota
- Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA)
- Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA)
- Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Court
- 7th and 8th Circuit Courts of Appeal
- US District Court, South Dakota and Minnesota
- US District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
- US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
- U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals
- Certified Mediator – International Mediation Institute