Jon practices in several areas in which he can use his engineering background and problem solving and project management approaches to serve clients. These areas include complex real estate projects and transactions including, especially, permitting and siting, litigation (especially over technical issues such as contaminated sites liability and clean up, valuation of complex property), administrative law including defense of environmental enforcement actions, utility regulation, environmental law, solid waste disposal including permitting and siting, land use including Vermont’s Act 250, and zoning.  Jon has been designated as one of the best lawyers in America in the field of environmental law. 

After graduating from Yale Law School, Jon clerked for the Honorable Caleb M. Wright, a United States District Court Judge for the District of Delaware where he assisted with the preparation of decisions in several complex patent cases.  After serving as Counsel to the Vermont Department of Public Service with Michael Burak, Jon joined Michael in private practice in 1985 and founded Burak & Anderson in 1989.

Jon regularly lectures at seminars on environmental and land use law issues and publishes widely in this field. With Jon’s leadership, Burak Anderson & Melloni compiled and indexed summaries of all of the Vermont Environmental Court’s planning and zoning decisions.  A searchable index of such decisions is available in the Resources [imbed link] section of this website.  Both the Planning and Zoning chapter for the Vermont Bar Association’s Environmental Law Practice Manual and Law and Land Use Development in Vermont are also available from the firm’s website [www.vtlaw1.com], or in printed pamphlets on request. 

Jon frequently assists in the improvement of environmental law in Vermont.  Jon chaired the State of Vermont Blue Ribbon Task Force on Hazardous Waste, which unanimously recommended the toxics use reduction and environmental assistance programs implemented by Vermont.  From 2000-2002 Jon authored the first draft of the permit process reform bill establishing the Environmental Court as the arbiter of all permit appeals.  Jon also served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives in 2006-2008 where he was a leader in improving environmental enforcement and adopting Vermont’s groundwater bill. 

Bar Admissions: 

Vermont, 1980

U.S. District Court, District of Vermont, 1981

Education:

Yale University, J.D. 1978

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, B.S. Ch.E., with highest distinction 1975Recipient, Salisbury Award (given each year to the top student in each discipline)

Brattleboro Union High School

Designated as one of the 121 Presidential Scholars

Honors and Awards:

Designated by Best Lawyers in the field of environmental law

Vermont Innkeeper of the Year – 2000

One of four smartest legislators – 2008

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