John B. Burns is a shareholder in the Nashville office of Baker Donelson. He regularly handles controversies and other tax issues for clients at the local, state, federal and international levels. Mr. Burns has helped numerous clients obtain property tax incentives (PILOTs), and he has successfully litigated and resolved tax incentive compliance disputes. Mr. Burns has represented several airlines in obtaining property tax abatements and reductions and litigated cases involving the taxability of aircraft leasing methods. He also handles tax issues relative to U.S. taxation of multinational transactions, as well as the establishment of joint ventures between U.S. and foreign companies. Most recently Mr. Burns litigated and resolved a property tax dispute which resulted in a refund for the client. He regularly represents clients before the Tennessee Department of Revenue, the Tennessee Attorney General's Office and the IRS.
Mr. Burns also handles a wide variety of estate planning issues, including estate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and business succession planning.
Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Mr. Burns served as a Staff Attorney to the Tennessee Court of Appeals in Jackson, Tennessee from 1993 to 2000. In this role, he managed all appeals to the Court.
- Editorial Board – "State and Local Tax Lawyer," American Bar Association
- Presenter – "Recent Developments in Tennessee Taxation," a yearly update for Chattanooga Tax Practitioners, Chattanooga, Tennessee (2004 – 2010)
2011
- Author – "The Prenup as Estate Planning Tool or Trap? ABA Section of Family Law, Family Advocate (Winter 2011, Vol. 33, No. 3)
2010
- Presenter – "Innocent Spouse Relief," Professional Education Broadcast Network (December 2010)
- Presenter – "Privilege and SALT Update Issues," BDO Seidman seminar, Nashville, TN (December 1, 2010), Memphis, TN (December 2, 2010)
- Presenter – "National Property Tax Developments" and "Economic Substance Doctrine," DeCosimo Tax Update Seminar, Chattanooga, Tennessee (November 2010)
- Presenter – "A New Era for Business Taxes," Tennessee Society of CPAs State Tax Conference, Brentwood, TN (November 5, 2010)
- Presenter – "Innocent Spouse Relief," Professional Education Broadcast Network (October 2010)
- Presenter – "Property Tax Developments and Litigation Update," Council On State Taxation's 41st Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ (October 2010)
- Presenter – "The Effects of Estate Tax Repeal in 2010," Tennessee Bar Webinar (July 2010)
- Presenter – "Regional & National Update of Property Tax Developments," SouthEastern Association of Tax Administrators, Little Rock, AR (July 2010)
- Presenter – "National State Tax Developments," Council On State Taxation, Nashville, TN (June 2010)
- Presenter – State Tax Update - Tennessee Society of CPAs Annual Convention, Chattanooga, TN (June 2010)
- Presenter – State Tax Update - Chattanooga Tax Practitioners, Chattanooga, TN (June 2010)
- Panelist – "Estate Planning Forum 2010," Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville, TN (February 2010)
- Presenter – "State Tax Update," Financial Executives Institute/Tennessee Society of CPAs, Nashville, TN (January 2010)
2009
- Presenter – "Entity Selection: Beyond the Basics," National Business Institute, Nashville, TN (December 2009)
- Panelist – "Tanner and TennCare/Medicaid Estate Recovery," Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville, TN (November 2009)
- Presenter – "Special Needs Trusts," Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, Nashville, TN (August 2009)
- Presenter – "Impact of Federal Stimulus Legislation on the States," Southeastern Association of Tax Administrators, Biloxi, MS (June 2009)
- Author – "Hidden Tennessee Income Tax Can be Trap for Unwary," Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry Business Insider (March/April 2009)
2008
- Presenter – "Tennessee Tax Issues," Montgomery County Bar Association, Clarksville, TN (December 2008)
- Presenter – State and Local Tax Roadshow, Baker Donelson Seminar, Jackson, MS (November 2008); Birmingham, AL (November 2008)
- Presenter – "Advanced Sales and Use Tax in Tennessee," Lorman Education Services, Chattanooga, TN (September 2008)
- Presenter – "Regional Tax Update," Council on State Taxation, Memphis, TN (June 2008)
2007
- Presenter – "Essential Skills for Drafting LLC Agreements," National Business Institute, Memphis, TN (September 2007)
2006
- Presenter – "Legislative Update for Tennessee and Surrounding States," Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, Franklin, TN (November 2006)
- Presenter – "Is an LLC Right for You," National Business Institute, Memphis, TN (September 2006)
- Presenter – "Tax Considerations of Judgments and Settlements," Baker Donelson Seminar, Memphis, TN (August 2006)
2005
- Presenter – "Legislative Update for Tennessee and Surrounding States," Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, Franklin, TN (November 2005)
- Presenter – "Recent Developments in Tennessee Taxation," Memphis Bar Association, Memphis, TN (October 2005)
- Presenter – "Who’s Your Client (and Other Ethical Dilemmas)," Tennessee Bar Association, Memphis, TN (March 2005)
2004
- Presenter – "Tax Issues in Estate Planning and Probate in Tennessee," National Business Institute, Memphis, TN (May 2004)
- Presenter – Taxes Facing an Estate (2004)
2003
- Presenter – "Split Dollar Life Insurance Regulations," Memphis Estate Planning Council, Memphis, TN (October 2003)
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Member – American, Tennessee and Nashville Bar Associations
- Fellow – Nashville Bar Foundation
- Member – State and Local Tax Executive Committee of the American Bar Association
- Member – Harry Phillips American Inn of Court
- Member – Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Class of 2008
- Fellow to Bangladesh (2000) – Rotary Foundation
- Tennessee, 1990
- U.S. District Court for the Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Tax Court
- University of Florida, LL.M. in Taxation, 2001
- University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D., 1990, cum laude
- University of Mississippi, B.A., 1986, cum laude