Megan T. Burns

Megan Burns fights for justice on behalf of her clients whether they are charged with a crime or seeking recovery after being injured through no fault of their own. While Ms. Burns has successfully negotiated hundreds of cases, she is also an aggressive and experienced trial attorney. With over ten years of litigation experience in private practice and as deputy public defender in San Francisco and Solano Counties, Ms. Burns possesses the skills necessary to secure the best outcome for her clients.

In her criminal defense practice, Ms. Burns has worked on nearly every type of criminal case imaginable from special circumstances homicide to drunk driving. She spent many years advocating for indigent defendants at the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, arguably one of the best criminal defense firms in the United States. She has tried close to forty jury trials and is regularly invited to speak regarding trial skills by professional organizations and public agencies. She is currently on the Board of Directors for California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (CACJ) and a member of the Earl Warren Inns of Court.

Ms. Burns has diverse experience representing plaintiffs in civil cases from federal civil rights litigation to minor traffic accidents. When one of her clients was illegally arrested for political speech, she helped file a civil rights lawsuit that resulted in an important First Amendment decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Big case or small case, Ms. Burns enjoys helping people through a difficult time in their lives.

She graduated with honors from Boston College in 1999 and earned her law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2004. She is married, lives in Oakland and has a daughter.

While Ms. Burns cannot guarantee the outcome in a particular case, her successful record demonstrates her unyielding commitment to fiercely advocating for her clients:

Attempted murder charges dismissed at preliminary hearing despite multiple defendants providing incriminating statements to law enforcement

Not guilty verdicts in the robbery of an elderly woman caught on video (http://sfpublicdefender.org/news/2013/11/man-acquitted-of-robbing-elderly-woman/)

Charges dismissed against juvenile client facing allegations of continuous sexual abuse of a child

New trial motion granted in triple robbery case due to juror misconduct over defendant's alleged gang ties (http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2014/09/15/jurors-stories-upend-sf-robbery-conviction/)

Confession excluded in an aggravated mayhem/robbery case due to a violation of client's right to counsel

Successfully negotiated a reasonable settlement in a complex paper case involving an alleged bribery scheme (http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Ex-health-inspectors-charged-in-S-F-bribe-scheme-2402994.php)

Acquittal of all charges in less than an hour for a father charged with threatening his wife and daughter

Hung jury in domestic violence trial in which seven eyewitnesses claimed to have seen boyfriend beating up his girlfriend (charges subsequently dismissed by prosecutor)

Motion to quash search warrant granted in possession of child pornography case (charges subsequently dismissed by prosecutor)

Successfully negotiated a misdemeanor resolution in a sophisticated marijuana grow case with over two thousand plants

Not guilty verdicts in DUI trial with a .19% blood test after challenging accuracy of test results

Hung jury in DUI trial with a .25/.26% breath test (charges subsequently dismissed by prosecutor)