"February 1, 2010 marks the firm's fiftieth anniversary, and we are thrilled that the values of our founders, Thomas D. Burns and Lawrence M. Levinson — which include passion for the law and commitment to our clients and communities — are still the values of our attorneys and the firm today," said David P. Rosenblatt, managing partner, who started with the firm in 1981 as a law clerk. "We are still very much known for being hardworking, creative, intelligent and aggressive, but these are different times. There is a great feeling of camaraderie, a closeness among the lawyers now, especially among the partners, which was how things started with Tom and Larry," he added.

As World War II ended, Tom Burns and Larry Levinson returned to the states and started pursuing their careers again. Tom, who had passed the bar in 1944 while on active duty as a U.S. Navy officer, landed a job at Friedman Atherton King & Turner in Boston in 1946. Larry — after serving in the Army for 5 years and completing as a major in the Combat Engineers, and being decorated for combat action — decided to finish up his law degree at Harvard Law School. He clerked with Judge Francis J.W. Ford for a year in the Federal District Court of Boston, then also joined Friedman Atherton.

Tom and Larry both had the fortunate experience of working with great men and lawyers like Lee M. Friedman and Percy A. Atherton, and after a remarkable few years, in 1950 they were both named partner. In this short time, Tom proved himself to be a skilled trial lawyer and Larry a brilliant advisor in corporate, finance and fiduciary matters. Their practices were growing and they had become fast friends.

On February 1, 1960, Tom and Larry decided to leave "with their hats on and heads held high" to start their own firm, and a coin flip determined the firm name: Burns & Levinson. They set up shop at 77 Franklin Street in Boston — four attorneys strong, with two secretaries and Zoë Levinson, Larry's wife, as bookkeeper. Joining Larry and Tom were two attorneys who had worked with them while at Friedman Atherton, Robert W. Weinstein and William H. Clancy. They were Burns & Levinson's first associates and they both became partners in two years. Bob Weinstein created the firm's real estate and finance departments and is still practicing with the firm today, fifty years later. Bill Clancy, who passed away several years ago, became a well-respected trial attorney.