Timothy W. Burns is a partner at Perkins Coie LLP. He is the former co-chair of the Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association.
Mr. Burns has been favorably ranked nationally for 18 years in Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Policyholder in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2006-2023). According to the publication, Mr. Burns "shines brightly in the sensitive and complex area of D&O [directors' and officers'] insurance," and corporate interviewees for the publication agreed that he "is probably the best counselor in the business for the procurement of this insurance . . . and is a real client magnet in this specialized field." According to one client quoted, "He is smart, diligent, innovative, resourceful and practical." Mr. Burns is also listed in The International Who's Who of Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyers and as one of the nation's top thirty policyholder-side insurance lawyers in the Executive Counsel Shortlist.
Mr. Burns has developed a nationally prominent D&O insurance practice. He advises clients on all aspects of D&O insurance, including counseling them with respect to the D&O insurance aspects of securities and derivative litigation and government investigations, initial public offerings, spin-offs, mergers and acquisitions, and bankruptcies. Tim's practice also includes representing corporate policyholders in their disputes and litigation with their insurance carriers. He has represented major policyholders in insurance coverage litigation since 1992.
Mr. Burns has been favorably ranked nationally for 18 years in Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Policyholder in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2006-2023). According to the publication, Mr. Burns "shines brightly in the sensitive and complex area of D&O [directors' and officers'] insurance," and corporate interviewees for the publication agreed that he "is probably the best counselor in the business for the procurement of this insurance . . . and is a real client magnet in this specialized field." According to one client quoted, "He is smart, diligent, innovative, resourceful and practical." Mr. Burns is also listed in The International Who's Who of Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyers and as one of the nation's top thirty policyholder-side insurance lawyers in the Executive Counsel Shortlist.
Mr. Burns has developed a nationally prominent D&O insurance practice. He advises clients on all aspects of D&O insurance, including counseling them with respect to the D&O insurance aspects of securities and derivative litigation and government investigations, initial public offerings, spin-offs, mergers and acquisitions, and bankruptcies. Tim's practice also includes representing corporate policyholders in their disputes and litigation with their insurance carriers. He has represented major policyholders in insurance coverage litigation since 1992.
Contact & Links
- Lawyer Page: https://
Location
- 10 E. Doty Street, Suite 600
Madison, WI 53703
Education
- University of Missouri, J.D.
- Weber State University, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- Illinois, Illinois State Bar Association
- Missouri, The Missouri Bar
- Wisconsin, State Bar of Wisconsin
Affiliations
- American College of Coverage Counsel - Member
- American Constitution Society - Member
- Dane County Bar Association - Member
- Seventh Circuit Bar Association - Member
- Wisconsin Justice Initiative - Member
- American Bar Association - Member
- American Law Institute - Member
- International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR) Insurance Neutrals Review Committee - Member
- The American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel - Fellow
Court Admissions
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals for Fourth Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- United States District Court for the District of Colorado
- United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- United States Court of Appeals for Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for Sixth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for Seventh Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for Eighth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for Eleventh Circuit
Federal Clerkships
- United States Court of Appeals
Madison, Wisconsin
1 The Best Lawyers in America® award
2 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Insurance Law, Madison (2013)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
- Insurance Law
Special Focus:
- Coverage
- Director and Officer Liability
- Fidelity
- International Arbitration
- Litigation
- Professional Liability
Awards:
- Best Lawyers in America, Recognized in Insurance Law, 2007-2025
Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, 2023-2024
Lawdragon 500 Leading Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers, 2023-2024
Ranked in Chambers USA legal guide in the area of Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Policyholder, 2023
- Listed in The International Who’s Who of Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyers, Executive Counsel Shortlist
- Ranked by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2006 (Illinois), 2007 (recommended in "Insurance"), 2008 - present (Band 2 - nationally)
- Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2005
Additional Areas of Practice:
- International Arbitration - Commercial
- Litigation - Insurance
Publications
Your browser is not fully compatible with our automatic printer friendly formatting.
Please use the print button to print this profile page.