Mike trained with Withers and on qualification in 1993 joined specialist London shipping firm More Fisher Brown. Mike joined Weightmans as a partner in May 2006.
Mike’s expertise includes the carriage of goods by sea, charterparty and bill of lading claims, hull and P&I insurance, cargo recoveries, freight liability, multimodal transit, CMR and yacht claims. Mike has a related non-contentious practice including vessel sale and purchase and drafting contracts of carriage.
Mike is ranked in The Legal 500 as a 'Leading Individual'.
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Mike Burns has an excellent level of technical knowledge, is approachable and flexible, and is able to bring disputes to a sensible conclusion.
Legal 500, 2026 -
Mike is very experienced and thorough and always available to advise.
Chambers and Partners, 2026 -
Mike is really great to work with and has excellent knowledge and a calm and reassuring manner.
Chambers and Partners, 2026 -
He offers an excellent and knowledgeable level of assistance.
Chambers and Partners 2025 -
He is an excellent technical lawyer who is able to take a commercial approach.
Chambers and Partners 2025 -
Mike Burns is approachable and very knowledgeable. He is fast to respond and is always willing to take a pragmatic, commercial approach. The support from the firm has also meant that he has also been able to provide assistance beyond the storage and transit issues which we normally raise.
Legal 500 2025 -
Mike Burns has excellent market and legal knowledge. His years of litigation experience provide him with good tactical awareness and he is mindful of the commercial realities of litigation. He is technical when he needs to be and not when he does not.
Legal 500 2025 -
Mike Burns is our legal advisor and he always the source of good and sound advice, delivered in an easy to understand way.
Legal 500 2025