Thomas M. Burns

Thomas M. Burns was a longtime Las Vegas attorney who spent over 50 years practicing law in Nevada. Born November 30, 1942, in Yerington, Nevada, he earned a B.S. in physical education with a minor in business from the University of Nevada, Reno, before attending Hastings College of Law at the University of California, from which he graduated in 1973.

Before his legal career, Burns served in the U.S. Army, commissioned in March 1965 as a Second Lieutenant. He served in South Korea, Fort Sill, and South Vietnam, commanding multiple company-sized units, and received the Bronze Star as Commanding Officer of the 25th Infantry Division, along with two Army Commendation medals. He was honorably discharged in 1970 at the rank of Captain.

After his discharge, Burns moved to Las Vegas and began his career as a law clerk and then deputy for the Clark County Public Defender's office. He later worked at Bell, Leavitt & Green, briefly formed Swanson, Momot & Burns, and then established his own firm, which he maintained from the same downtown location for more than four decades. His practice's specialties included DUI and criminal matters, family law, probate, and Chapter 7 bankruptcy. He passed away September 25, 2025, at the age of 82.