Megan Burns
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Criminal Defense Attorney in Pleasanton, CA
- Free Consultation
- Virtual Appointments
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 fifteen 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 over fifty 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 the Alameda County Legal Access and Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association.
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.
Certificates and Credentials
- California Board of Legal Specialization
Criminal Law
About Megan Burns
First Admitted: 2004, California
Professional Webpage: http://www.bonjourandthorman.com/our-attorneys/megan-burns/
Special Licenses/Certifications
- Designated Criminal Law Specialist with the State Bar of California http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Licensee/Detail/232521, 2019
Bar/Professional Activity
- Earl Warren Inns of Court - Member Emeritus, 2020
- Legal Access Alameda - Board of Directors, 2020
- Alameda County Bar Association - Board of Directors Emeritus, 2020
Videos
- The lawyers at Bonjour, Thorman, Burns & Dahm have an excellent reputation in Northern California, both in the criminal justice bar and among the insurance companies that handle personal injury claims. Our firm has been in existence since 1973. Many of our cases are referred to us by judges, other lawyers and our former clients. Our lawyers teach trial tactics at law schools in the Bay Area and are regularly invited to speak by professional organizations and public agencies. Our lawyers received an AV Preeminent-rating* – the highest possible rating – through the Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating process. This is a significant rating accomplishment – a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of other attorneys and the judiciary. Mr. Bonjour, Mr. Thorman, Ms. Burns and Ms. Dahm have all been designated as Northern California Super Lawyers. , Bonjour, Thorman, Burns & Dahm - Firm Video, We Represent Real People With Real Problems, 2020
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Daily Journal Article about Bonjour, Thorman, Burns & Dahm, a PC, entitled "Joint Legacy," publication date: September 13, 2021, author: Kamila Knaudt. Quote from incoming CAOC president, Craig Peters, "They treat their clients like family. They turn over every stone. They run down every lead, and at the end of the day, when you've got somebody's life on the line, their freedom on the line, that's what you need in a criminal defense lawyer.", 2021
Verdicts/Settlements
- Board of Directors - Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association (ACCTLA), 2021
Last Updated: 10/21/2021