Matthew J. Burne
Associate
Matthew J. Burne is an Associate with Leech Tishman and a member of the Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Practice Group. Matt is based in the Pittsburgh office.
Matt’s practice focuses on representing clients in commercial transactions, restructuring and bankruptcy matters. He also represents food distributors in collection and credit management.
Matt’s legal career includes serving as a law clerk to the Hon. Thomas P. Agresti in the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He also practiced in New Jersey representing Chapter 7 Trustees, Chapter 11 Trustees and creditors in various bankruptcy matters. During law school, Matt served as judicial intern to the Hon. Arthur B. Briskman and Hon. Karen S. Jennemann in the Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida and the Hon. Sean H. Lane in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
Matt also has extensive knowledge and experience in the foodservice industry. He holds a degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated on the Dean’s List. Prior to pursuing his legal career, Matt worked in sales and marketing for a large broad-line foodservice distributor assisting customers with menu development and costing; and he also prepared contracts, seasonal pricing bids and managed accounts receivables for independent restaurants, franchises, large institutions and concessionaires. Prior to that Matt worked as a chef in multiple establishments and country clubs throughout Pennsylvania. Matt has parlayed his prior career in the foodservice and food distribution industries into representing food distributors in various legal matters including collection and credit management.
Academics
LL.M. in Bankruptcy, St. John’s University School of Law
J.D., Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law
The Culinary Institute of America
B.S. in Food Marketing, Saint Joseph’s University
Admissions
Pennsylvania
New York
New Jersey
Experience
Legal Experience
Tucker Arensberg, P.C.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
McDonnell Crowley, LLC
Non-Legal Experience
Maines Paper and Foodservice, Inc.
Professional Memberships
National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, NextGen 2018
Allegheny County Bar Association (Board Member, Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section; Member, Banking and Corporate Law Section; Member, Committee for Exempt Organizations)
Judith K. Fitzgerald Bankruptcy Inns of Court (Member)
Publications
“Third Circuit Review,” Norton Bankruptcy Law Adviser (April 2017)
“Are Loss Mitigation Programs Still Relevant: One Court’s Story,” ABI Journal (March 2017)
“Amending Exemptions in a Re-Opened Case,” 24 Norton Bankruptcy Law & Practice Art. 2 (April 2015)
“From Mo-Town to Bildisco: Rejecting Collective Bargaining Agreements in Chapter 9 Bankruptcy Cases,” Norton Annual Survey of Bankruptcy Law 243 (2015)
“The Effect of Franchisor Bankruptcy on Executory Supply Contracts,” 18 Barry Law Review 191 (Fall 2012)
Speeches & Presentations
Financial Literacy Outreach Program, Allegheny County Bar Association, Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section
“Non-Profit Bankruptcies for Non-Profits,” Allegheny County Bar Association, Committee for Exempt Organizations (September 2019)
“Debate on Recovery of College Tuition Payments by Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustees,” Judith K. Fitzgerald Bankruptcy Inns of Court and Delaware Bankruptcy Inns of Court (April 2019)
Panel on “Issues in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy for Non-Profit Organizations,” Allegheny County Bar Association Bankruptcy Symposium (2018)
Panel on “Exemptions for Personal Injury Cases in Individual Bankruptcy,” Allegheny County Bar Association Bankruptcy Symposium (2017)
Community Involvement
Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh (Voluntary Chef, Red Door Program)