Brian Sullivan

About Brian Sullivan

I attended the University of Chicago, from which I obtained a Bachelor\'s Degree in Political Science in 1984. I was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa, named as a Student Marshall (the University\'s highest undergraduate academic honor), and awarded General and Special Honors. After graduating from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 1987, I joined the Financial Litigation department of Sidley and Austin in Chicago. After two years in that department, I relocated to Burlington, Vermont for personal and professional reasons. Over the 30 years that I have practiced in Burlington, I have handled a wide variety of matters, including zoning, land use, Act 250 and Section 248a, eminent domain, both trial and appellate litigation and immigration law. I am admitted to practice in the States of Illinois (inactive status) and Vermont and in the Federal District Court for Vermont, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. I also practice both business and family related immigration law from the acquisition of \"non-immigrant\" visas to permanent residence and citizenship. I also represent businesses and individuals in litigation against U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services in Federal Court. In 2004, I joined with Kate Kronk and Liam Murphy to form Murphy Sullivan Kronk (MSK), to focus on the areas of law listed above and providing the highest quality legal services to our clients. In particular, we are proud to have served as Vermont counsel to Verizon Wireless since our inception, a client that I have represented for 25 years. Martindale-Hubbell has conferred its highest rating of \"AV-Preeminent\" on me, as voted by my peers. I am ranked in the top tier of Land Use and Zoning attorneys in Vermont by Chambers and Partners USA. I appear in Best Lawyers in the same category and was voted as their Burlington area Lawyer of the Year for Land Use and Zoning in 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2021. Vermont Business Magazine has named me as one of the State\'s top business lawyers in the area of Land Use and Zoning Law and Litigation. Areas of Focus: Land use law, including zoning and Act 250, telecommunications law, appellate litigation, immigration law.

Experience

1. Partner

   Msk Attorneys

   Feb 2004 — Present · Burlington, VT, US

   We founded MSK in 2004 to bring our collective experience to bear in the niche markets of commercial real estate, land use law and business transaction. Since our founding, we have been recognized by our peers and clients in the top tier of law firms in Vermont by Chambers and Partners USA. That organization has also placed me in the top tier of land use and zoning lawyers in Vermont. Best Lawyers has recognized me in 2015, 2018 and 2020 as the \"Lawyer of the Year\" in the Vermont in the practice area of land use and zoning law. I also have resumed my practice of immigration law. Based on peer reviews, I have received the rating \"AV Preeminent\" from Martindale-Hubbell.

Education

• Niles East High School

  Diploma

  1976 — 1980

• University of Chicago

  AB, Political Science

  1980 — 1984

• Harvard Law School

  JD, Law

  1984 — 1987