John Bursch represents Fortune 500 companies, foreign and domestic governments, top public officials, and industry associations in high-profile cases, primarily on appeal. John has argued 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases since 2011 and 33 state supreme court cases, including 31 cases argued in the Michigan Supreme Court. John has successfully litigated hundreds of matters around the country, including six with more than $1 billion at stake. Recent matters include:
- Securing a 6th Circuit victory reinstating a multi-million-dollar commercial case on behalf of 5-hour ENERGY®
- A Michigan Court of Appeals ruling vindicating a Certificate of Need for DTE Energy's billion-dollar, natural-gas plant
- Obtaining a win for the financial services industry, reversing an adverse decision regarding how financial corporations calculate their Michigan taxes
- Filing a federal lawsuit on behalf of the landscaping, lawn-care, and garden-city industries that resulted in Michigan's Governor lifting stay-in-place restrictions on these types of businesses
- A federal challenge to Michigan's new redistricting commission
- Representing the Michigan Legislature in defense of a law that requires ballot proposals to have broad geographic support
- Litigation on behalf of 10 former legislators seeking to invalidate Michigan's term limits, the harshest in the nation
- Persuading the 6th Circuit to grant rehearing en banc on behalf of the Michigan Senate and House in a case involving an extra-constitutional and newly created "fundamental right" to a minimal level of education
A recent study found that over the 2012-15 Terms, John's Supreme Court cert. petitions had one of the highest grant rates in the country. Another included John on "a veritable who's who of Supreme Court litigators" list. Yet another concluded that among frequent U.S. Supreme Court advocates who were not part of the federal government, John was the 3rd-most successful at winning Justices' votes for his position. Overall, John has compiled a Supreme Court merits record that the National Law Journal observed "even more veteran high court advocates would envy."
John is one of only seven Michigan lawyers inducted into the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, and one of only 62 Michigan attorneys serving as a Member of the American Law Institute. Michigan Super Lawyers has recognized him with a cover profile and "Top Ten" ranking among all Michigan attorneys. John has also enjoyed repeated listings in Best Lawyers for Appellate Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Bet-the-Company Litigation. Bursch Law is a Benchmark Litigation "Recommended firm," one of only 12 in Michigan, and Benchmark names John as a "State litigation star."
John's clients have included Amway, CMS Energy, DTE Energy, The Dow Chemical Company, Enbridge, Flagstar Bank, Innovation Ventures (5-hour Energy), Priority Health, TCF Bank, Tesla, TruGreen, and United Educators; the states of Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah; Canada; various Governors and Attorneys General; and the Estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. John has also served as national appellate coordinating counsel for Auto-Owners Insurance, a Fortune 400 insurance company.
