Susan Burns

Welcome to Susan’s Canna-Burns where you will learn about insights on industry legal developments and how to avoid business canna-burns.

Susan Burns is a business lawyer who specializes in guiding businesses in growth mode, strategically using legal to meet their needs. Her practice serves various industries from cannabis processors, manufacturers, and retailers to innovative industries in the botanical and sustainable food business. She also serves psychotherapy clinics and microbiology companies.

Susan functions as an on-call business partner to her clients. As general counsel and strategic business advisor, she finds creative solutions to unexpected issues—including partnering with trusted professionals from her extensive network when necessary. Susan enjoys interacting with socially engaged clients and audiences.

Susan’s career has focused on “doing well by doing good,” and one of her guiding principles is “a bit of world-bettering is always encouraged.” She thrives on working with businesses that are making a buck and a positive impact on society. Before starting her own law firm, Susan’s work ranged from general practice with small law firms to large-scale litigation with the largest Minnesota firm.

Susan is listed among the Top 200 Global Cannabis Lawyers and holds leadership roles in the American Bar Association’s Section of International Law, serving as Communications Officer and as Co-Chair of the Food, Ag, and Cannabis Committee. She is also an active member of the International Cannabis Bar Association and board member of the Minnesota Organic Advisory Task Force in addition to serving on the Minnesota State Bar Association Rural and Agricultural Law Council.

A Minnesota native, Susan earned her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law (now Mitchell-Hamline) and her B.A. from the College of St. Benedict. She holds an LL.M. in Food and Agriculture Law from the University of Arkansas. She is the founding partner of the law firm, S Burns Legal PLLC and serves as Of-Counsel to The Law Group of Northwest Arkansas.