People
Patrick Burns

Patrick Burns

Partner
(415) 995-5102

Intro

Patrick Burns is a partner at Hanson Bridgett and Co-Chair of the Appellate Practice Group. His practice focuses on a wide range of appellate matters in both state and federal courts. He also has extensive experience working on law and motion matters in state and federal courts, including arbitration disputes.

Patrick’s experience includes drafting appellate briefs, motions, writ petitions, and presenting oral argument on a wide range of legal issues in high-stakes appellate matters including business litigation, probate litigation, labor and employment, constitutional law, products liability, class actions, environmental law, and property law. Patrick also advises clients and trial counsel on procedural issues relating to litigation at all stages in state and federal court. He also has experience, and advises clients, on arbitration issues including regarding motions to compel arbitration, conducting arbitration, challenging arbitration awards, and related appeals. Patrick contributes a bi-monthly column to the Daily Journal entitled “Arbitration Angle,” addressing emerging developments in law regarding arbitration.

Areas of Focus

Education

J.D. magna cum laude UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings) ( 2014 )
M.A. University of California, Santa Barbara ( 2009 )
B.A. University of California, Irvine ( 2006 )

Academic Distinction

CALI and Witkin Awards in Legal Writing & Research; American Legal History; Evidence; Criminal Procedure; Constitutional Law II

Hastings Law Journal, Senior Notes Editor

Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal, Notes Editor

Admissions and Courts

California
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Role

Appellate Practice Co-Leader

Intro

Patrick Burns is a partner at Hanson Bridgett and Co-Chair of the Appellate Practice Group. His practice focuses on a wide range of appellate matters in both state and federal courts. He also has extensive experience working on law and motion matters in state and federal courts, including arbitration disputes.

Patrick’s experience includes drafting appellate briefs, motions, writ petitions, and presenting oral argument on a wide range of legal issues in high-stakes appellate matters including business litigation, probate litigation, labor and employment, constitutional law, products liability, class actions, environmental law, and property law. Patrick also advises clients and trial counsel on procedural issues relating to litigation at all stages in state and federal court. He also has experience, and advises clients, on arbitration issues including regarding motions to compel arbitration, conducting arbitration, challenging arbitration awards, and related appeals. Patrick contributes a bi-monthly column to the Daily Journal entitled “Arbitration Angle,” addressing emerging developments in law regarding arbitration.

Areas of Focus

Education

J.D. magna cum laude UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings) ( 2014 )
M.A. University of California, Santa Barbara ( 2009 )
B.A. University of California, Irvine ( 2006 )

Academic Distinction

CALI and Witkin Awards in Legal Writing & Research; American Legal History; Evidence; Criminal Procedure; Constitutional Law II

Hastings Law Journal, Senior Notes Editor

Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal, Notes Editor

Admissions and Courts

California
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Role

Appellate Practice Co-Leader

UC Hastings College of the Law Moot Court Team, Alumni Coach

Super Lawyers, Rising Stars (2022-2024)

Super Lawyers, Appellate (2022-2023)

California Lawyers Association, Wiley W. Manuel Pro Bono Legal Services Award (2020-2023)

Johnson v. Stoneridge Creek Pleasanton CCRC LLC (2025) 113 Cal.App.5th 720, 727 (preliminary injunction re continuing care retirement communities statute)

X.K. v. M.C. (2025) 112 Cal.App.5th 1287, as modified (July 24, 2025) (Domestic violence restraining order)

Coziahr v. Otay Water Dist. (2024) 103 Cal.App.5th 785 (Proposition 218)

Green Tree Headlands LLC v. Tara Crawford (2023) 316 Cal.Rptr.3d 297 (anti-SLAPP motion to malicious prosecution action)

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. County of Monterey (2023) 15 Cal.5th 135 (state law preemption)

Judicial Extern to the Honorable Justice Ming Chin, California Supreme Court 

“Burden Lifted in Arbitration Waiver Cases,” coauthor, The Daily Journal (December 2024)

“SB 365’s Departure from the Bielski Rule for FAA Cases May Lead to Further Litigation,” co-author, Daily Journal (April 2024)

“The Scope of Arbitration Clauses,” co-author, The Daily Journal (June 2023)

“Delegating Unconscionability to the Arbitrator,” co-author, The Daily Journal (February 2023)

“Disqualifying arbitrators under the California Arbitration Act,” The Daily Journal (February 2022)

“Supreme Court to Resolve Split Over Post-Arbitration Motions,” The Daily Journal (December 2021)

“Case to Resolve Split on Stateside Discovery for Foreign Arbitration,” Daily Journal (May 2021)

“Appealing Orders on Arbitration in Federal Court,” Daily Journal (March 2021)

“Arbitrability: Searching for Assent,” co-author, Daily Journal (January 2021)

“Calif. High Court Could Limit DA Enforcement Actions,” Law360 (June 2020)

“Parol Evidence,” chapter in The Jurisprudence of Roger Traynor (2015)

“Smart ways to use Appellate Specialists at the Trial Level,” co-presenter, BASF (August 2022)