Arnold I. Burns

Arnold Irwin Burns (April 14, 1930 – October 1, 2013) was an American lawyer. He served as the United States Deputy Attorney General from 1986 to 1988 under President Ronald Reagan and U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese. In March 1988, Burns, together with the head of the U.S. Justice Department's criminal division William Weld and four aides, resigned from office in protest of what they viewed as improper conduct by Attorney General Meese, including personal financial indiscretions. In July 1988, Burns and Weld jointly testified before the U.S. Congress in support of a potential prosecution of Meese following an investigation by a special prosecutor, who had declined to file charges.

Burns worked for a private law firm after law school. He then co-founded Burns Summit Rovins & Feldesman, where he specialized in corporate law for more than twenty-five years.

Arnold Burns died from cardiac arrest and complications of Parkinson's disease in Manhattan, New York City, on October 1, 2013, at the age of 83. He was survived by his wife of 62 years, Felice Bernstein, and two children, Douglas Burns and Linda Burns.