John Burns concentrates his practice in bankruptcy/creditors rights and business/ commercial litigation. He is board certified in business bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification. John regularly represents secured creditors and lenders in dealing with work-out and bankruptcy situations. He represents corporate debtors in Chapter 11 reorganizations and also has significant experience representing banks, corporations, trustees and committees in reorganizations and liquidations. John has tried numerous business and commercial cases to verdict in federal and state courts, both to the bench and to juries.

John has completed Indiana's certified training for mediators and represents clients in mediation.

Certifications

• Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy
• American Board of Certification
• Indiana's Certified Training for Mediators

Honors

• The Best Lawyers in America — Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2005-12, and Bankruptcy Litigation, 2012 (Fort Wayne Bankruptcy Litigation Lawyer of the Year, 2012)
• Indiana Super Lawyers — Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights Law, 2005-12
• American Inns of Court — Master
• Blue Key
• Notre Dame Lawyer — Executive Editor, Vol. 49, 1973-74

Board Memberships

• American Board of Certification — Board of Directors, 2009-12
• PBS Channel 39 — Board of Directors, 2007-11 (Vice President, 2008-11)
• Notre Dame Alumni Club of Fort Wayne — Board Member, 2007-08 (President, 2007-08)
• Fort Wayne Civic Theatre — Board of Directors, 1978-82 and 2001-03 (President, 1980-82)

Civic Activities

• Ball State University — Philanthropy Advisory Counsel
• Ball State University "Wings for the Future" Endowment Campaign — National Campaign Committee
• Little Turtle Rotary Club — President, 1996-97

Professional Associations

• Allen County Bar Association — Bankruptcy Section, Chairman, 1990-91, and Vice Chair, 1989-90; Civil Procedures Section, Chairman, 1988
• Indiana State Bar Association — Bankruptcy Section, Chairman, 2001-02
• American Bar Association — Litigation Section, Litigation Assistance to Military Personnel Committee (Co-Chair, 2011-present); Bankruptcy Litigation Committee (Co-Chair, 2008-11); Business and Commercial Litigation Committee; ABA Annual Meeting Host Committee, 2009
• American Bankruptcy Institute

Publications

• "Mediation: The Best, Last Change to Control Your Destiny," Inside the Minds: Strategies for Successful Mediation, Aspatore Books, 2008
• "The Business Bankruptcy Process: Maximizing the Value of Going Concern," Inside the Minds: Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Settlements and Negotiations — Leading Lawyers on Debtor/Creditor Relations, Litigation Issues and Bankruptcy Proceedings, Aspatore Books, 2006
• "Recently Enacted Bankruptcy Reform Provisions Contain Important Changes Affecting Bankruptcy Litigation" co-author with Mark Werling, Bankruptcy Litigation, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Committee, ABA, Section of Litigation, Fall 2005
• "Coming Soon – Direct Appeals of Bankruptcy Decisions to the Courts of Appeal," co-author with Mark Werling, Bankruptcy Litigation Committee, ABI Committee News, November 2005
• "Litigating Section 1113 Collective Bargaining Agreement Cases," co-author with Mark Werling, Bankruptcy Litigation, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Committee, ABA, Section of Litigation, Fall 2004
• "Effective Deposition Preparation," Commercial and Business Litigation Journal, ABA, Section of Litigation, Winter 2002-03
• "Service of Process upon Foreign Individual or Business Entity: An Introduction to the Application of FRCP 4(f)," Commercial and Business Litigation Journal, ABA, Section of Litigation, Commercial and Business Litigation Committee, Spring 2002
• "Suing the Foreign Business Entity: An Introduction to the Commercial Activities Exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA)," Commercial and Business Litigation Journal, ABA, Section of Litigation, Commercial and Business Litigation Committee, Winter 2001-02
• "Business, Banks, Borrowers and The Environment," co-author, Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, 1991
• "Rats, Rodents and Rosenbloom: Journal Gazette v. Bandido's," Res Gestae, Vol. 45, No. 1, July/August 2001
• "Basic Bankruptcy in Indiana: Creditors, Debtors and the Estate," National Business Institute, 1987
• "Mortgage Foreclosures in Indiana," ICLEF, 1987
• "Bankruptcy 1986," contributing author, Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, 1986
• "Post Conviction Remedy Procedures in Indiana," 48 Notre Dame Lawyer 435, 1972

Presentations

• "Effective Use of Experts in Negotiating and Litigating Preference Actions Under the Bankruptcy Code," ABA Annual Meeting, 2007
• "Financial Institution Litigation Update," ABA Business Law Section, Annual Meeting, 2006
• "Representing Business Creditors Under Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005," ICLEF, 2006
• "Bankruptcy Review Commission Recommendations," ICLEF, 1997
• "Bankruptcy Update," ICLEF, 1992
• "Seventh Annual Bankruptcy Institute," ICLEF, 1988
• "Basic Bankruptcy in Indiana," NBI, 1987
• "Bankruptcy 1986," ICLEF, 1986