Erica Burns Brings South Florida Heart to Her Law Practice

Miami Biscayne welcomes attorney Erica G. Burns for a conversation about family, advocacy and the South Florida years that shaped her.

Erica Burns is a partner at Purely Legal in Florida, where she practices mostly in divorce, child support, parental responsibility and timesharing. Additionally she is an "Injury and Family Lawyer." The Florida Bar lists her as a member in good standing, admitted in 2015, and Best Lawyers has recognized her in Ones to Watch in America since 2026 for family law and plaintiffs' personal injury litigation in Orlando.

Her story runs through Miami. Originally from Grand Island, New York, she has lived mostly in South Florida since her family moved to the state in 2004, earning her bachelor's degree at Florida International University in Miami before law school at Florida State University. In 2016 she co-founded Life Beyond Adversity, a nonprofit that introduces inner-city youth to professional environments. In this interview, Burns talks about the families she works with, the young people she mentors and the place that still feels like home.

Miami Biscayne (MB): Your family moved to Florida in 2004, and South Florida has been home for most of the years since. What did growing up here give you?

Erica Burns: Honestly, perspective. South Florida is full of people from everywhere, with every kind of story, and growing up around that teaches you to listen. I came of age here, and Florida International University in Miami is where I really started figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. I still carry that with me.

MB: Your practice centers on divorce, child support, parental responsibility and timesharing. What draws you to that work?

Erica Burns: I genuinely love helping people, and family law is about as personal as it gets. People come to me when their family is changing, and that can be scary. My job is to listen, walk them through each step in plain language, and help them get to the other side with as much stability as possible.

MB: You also handle injury cases. What do the two have in common?

Erica Burns: The people. Whether it's a divorce or an injury, you're meeting someone during one of the hardest stretches of their life. They want to be taken seriously and treated with respect, and that's what I try to give every client.

MB: Before Purely Legal, you interned at Park & Crump and at GrayRobinson, where you also began your career. What did those years teach you?

Erica Burns: How much preparation matters. I learned from attorneys who took the work seriously and didn't cut corners, because the people they represented were counting on them. I try to bring that same care to every case.

MB: In 2016 you co-founded Life Beyond Adversity. Why that work?

Erica Burns: Because it's hard to picture yourself somewhere you've never been. Life Beyond Adversity gives inner-city youth a real look inside professional spaces, so they can see themselves there. Sometimes all it takes is meeting someone who looks like you doing the job.

MB: You co-wrote about telemedicine for underserved female patients. Why that subject?

Erica Burns: Access. Telemedicine can reach women who too often get left out of the healthcare system, and the law plays a big part in whether that access is real. It felt like a chance to write about something that touches people's everyday lives.

MB: Tell us something that might surprise people, and where we'd find you when you're back in South Florida.

Erica Burns: I'm an adventure seeker at heart. And when I'm back in South Florida, you'll usually find me near the water, soaking up the place that's been home for most of my life.

You can follow Erica on: Instagram

Quick answers

Who is Erica Burns?

Erica G. Burns is an attorney and partner at Purely Legal in Orlando, Florida, practicing mostly family law, with plaintiffs' personal injury work recognized by Best Lawyers.

Is Erica Burns licensed in Florida?

Yes. The Florida Bar lists Erica Gayle Burns as a member in good standing, admitted in 2015.

What is Life Beyond Adversity?

A nonprofit Burns co-founded in 2016 that gives inner-city youth exposure to professional environments.