Burns & Levinson

In 1960, two lawyers, Thomas D. Burns and Lawrence M. Levinson, founded a law firm in Boston with just four attorneys. Their vision was to build a full-service firm. Over the decades, they did just that, expanding into areas like intellectual property, real estate, and private client services. The firm grew steadily, becoming a notable mid-sized player in the competitive Boston legal market, at its peak housing 125 attorneys. A key moment in their growth playbook came in 2002, when they brought on a dozen attorneys from another New England firm, followed by a major expansion of their intellectual property group in 2006 with the acquisition of 35 attorneys from a tech-focused firm. This strategy of opportunistic, strategic acquisitions helped them build a diverse client base that included well-known companies like Raytheon and Segway. The firm's story took a dramatic turn in 2024. The competitive Boston market, particularly in hot sectors like life sciences and tech, led to larger national firms raiding talent. Burns & Levinson saw significant departures, with one group of 25 lawyers leaving to start a new Boston office for a rival and another 17-lawyer team moving to another firm. After failed merger talks to find a path forward, the 64-year-old firm announced it would be winding down its operations, marking the end of an era for a Boston legal institution.