thumbnail image
  • BLJohnsonLaw
  • About
  • Founder
  • Updates
  • Blog
  • Professional Experience
  • Qualifications
  • Community Involvement
  • Prior Speaking Events
  • Publications & Presentations
  • Scheduled Events
  • Contact
  • Directions
  • Terms
  • …  
    • BLJohnsonLaw
    • About
    • Founder
    • Updates
    • Blog
    • Professional Experience
    • Qualifications
    • Community Involvement
    • Prior Speaking Events
    • Publications & Presentations
    • Scheduled Events
    • Contact
    • Directions
    • Terms
    • BLJohnsonLaw
    • About
    • Founder
    • Updates
    • Blog
    • Professional Experience
    • Qualifications
    • Community Involvement
    • Prior Speaking Events
    • Publications & Presentations
    • Scheduled Events
    • Contact
    • Directions
    • Terms
    • …  
      • BLJohnsonLaw
      • About
      • Founder
      • Updates
      • Blog
      • Professional Experience
      • Qualifications
      • Community Involvement
      • Prior Speaking Events
      • Publications & Presentations
      • Scheduled Events
      • Contact
      • Directions
      • Terms
      • BLJohnsonLaw
      • About
      • Founder
      • Updates
      • Blog
      • Professional Experience
      • Qualifications
      • Community Involvement
      • Prior Speaking Events
      • Publications & Presentations
      • Scheduled Events
      • Contact
      • Directions
      • Terms
      • An accomplished legal strategist with multifaceted experience, strong analytical skills, and an impressive track record in high-stakes situations, Ms. Johnson’s practice focuses on the representation of management in labor and employment matters.

          

        Ms. Johnson has a substantial experience in helping clients translate complex legal issues into practical business-minded solutions and drive legal strategies aligned with business objectives. A career as a law firm partner, in-house counsel, trial lawyer, and leader within the profession provides the experience necessary to assist clients in addressing the challenges of an increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment.

         

        BLJohnsonLaw PLLC is an employment law boutique focused on the representation of management in a wide variety of employment matters, including day-to-day advice and counsel, litigation and trials, employment discrimination and wage and hour claims, investigations, regulatory compliance, mediations and arbitrations.

        Barbara L. Johnson, Esq.

      • Latest Updates

      • Blog

        Barbara L. Johnson, Esq. .

        Unemployment Compensation Benefits and Job-Protected Leave Expanded in D.C. in Response to COVID-19
        March 22, 2020
        I hope that each of you is healthy and safe. This is a time of great uncertainty and many of us feel anxious. Having sources of reliable information is critical to our survival and can go a long way toward reducing our anxiety. Knowledge is power. I am sending out updates on employment-related...
      • Professional Experience

        BLJohnsonLaw, PLLC (Founder, January 2016 to present)

         

        After fourteen years as an employment law partner in a leading global law firm and providing legal services to many of the Fortune Global 500 companies, Ms. Johnson left the firm in December 2015 to establish BLJohnsonLaw. She has extensive experience in counseling clients on the full gamut of employment law issues, including gender parity issues.

        She assists clients in evaluating and analyzing their exposure to pay equity claims by working with labor economists to identify the disparities and, then, by working with clients to determine appropriate remediation strategies.

         

        Her practice encompasses litigation in a number of areas, including civil rights discrimination claims in federal and state court, class and collective actions, whistleblower/retaliation claims, wage and hour claims, public law (municipalities and school systems), breach of contract claims, ERISA claims, and employment arbitrations.

         

        Ms. Johnson has tried more than 30 employment law cases. She also represents employers before state and federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, state Human Rights agencies, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice.

         

        Ms. Johnson routinely assists employers with workplace investigations, regulatory and compliance matters, implementing diversity and leadership programs, and day-to-day employment law issues. In addition, Ms. Johnson is available to serve as a mediator or an arbitrator. She is a member of the AAA panel of arbitrators.

        Potter & Murdock, LLC (Counsel, July 2016 to present)

         

        Ms. Johnson serves as Counsel to the firm and continues her specialization in the representation of management in labor and employment matters.

        Paul Hastings, LLP (Partner, 2002-2015)

         

        While with Paul Hastings, Ms. Johnson handled employment matters across the country, from wage and hour collective actions to single plaintiff discrimination cases. For five years, Ms. Johnson served as national counsel for GlaxoSmithKline in five class/collective actions with billions of dollars at stake. Ms. Johnson served as a relationship partner to the client, offering high-level legal and business advice. In that capacity she developed and implemented the legal strategy that resulted in summary at the District Court level, and that won again in the Ninth Circuit Court. The case then was appealed to the US Supreme Court, which upheld the previous rulings.


        In 2008, a jury in Los Angeles Superior Court returned an $11.4M verdict against Kaiser Permanente in a whistleblower case. The plaintiff's attorney had earned a reputation for winning large settlements. With so much at stake, Kaiser asked Ms. Johnson to retry the case. Within just a few weeks, she learned the facts of the case, gained the confidence of senior management, prepared dozens of witnesses for trial, and delivered a successful outcome—a verdict in Kaiser's favor and the plaintiff's agreement not to pursue an appeal.


        Ms. Johnson was active in firm management and served as Chair of Paul Hastings’ Pro Bono and Community Involvement Committee, Chair of the Recruiting Committee for the DC office, and a member of the Global Diversity Committee.

        Barclays Bank (2012 and 2015)

         

        Ms. Johnson was seconded to Barclays Bank in New York, where she served as the director and head of Employment, Incentives & Pensions Legal (Americas). In this role she was responsible for providing labor and employment advice related to Barclays 11,000 employees in the Americas, supervising a team of five attorneys and participating on the global Employment, Incentives & Pensions Legal senior leadership team.

        Wickliff & Hall, PC (Associate, 1990-1993; Shareholder, 1993-2001)

         

        Before joining Paul Hastings, Ms. Johnson was a shareholder in Wickliff & Hall, a Texas-based, minority- owned law firm, where she was a member of the firm's management committee. Ms. Johnson earned her certification from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Labor and Employment Law in 1996. While working with Wickliff & Hall, Ms. Johnson successfully tried a number of lawsuits in state and federal court, and was responsible for the successful resolution of many other cases through summary judgment or mediation. In addition, Ms. Johnson briefed and argued a number of cases before state and federal Courts of Appeals.

        The Dow Chemical Company (1976-1990)

         

        Ms. Johnson began her professional career at Dow as an analytical chemist responsible for developing methodologies for extracting minute quantities of pesticide residues from various materials. She also worked as an instrument engineer and developed the techniques used to install instrumentation, such as early versions of gas spectrometers and liquid chromatographs, into chemical processes. After law school, Ms. Johnson managed complex nationwide product liability litigation involving a product used in the construction industry. She was a member of a three-person legal department responsible for all legal matters at Dow's Texas operations, a site with more than 6,000 employees. While with Dow's Texas Operations, she advised the business on legal issues related to procurement, contracts, and real estate. She was responsible for advising the business on compliance with state and federal regulations affecting health, safety, environmental protection, and manufacturing. She litigated cases before the Texas Public Utility Commission arising out of Dow's extensive cogeneration activities. Ms. Johnson developed specialized expertise in labor and employment matters and was responsible for collective bargaining and negotiations with five labor unions, managing employment litigation, and resolving internal and external claims of discrimination.

      • Qualifications

        Education

         

        Marshall-Wythe School of Law

        College of William and Mary
        Williamsburg, Virginia
        J.D.

         

        Hampton University
        Hampton, Virginia
        B.S. Pre-Med concentration in Chemistry

        Admissions and Certifications

        • United States Supreme Court Bar
        • District of Columbia Bar
        • State Bar of Texas
        • State Bar of Michigan
        • District Court for the District of Columbia
        • Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
        • Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
        • Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Labor and Employment Law

        Honors and Recognitions

        • American Bar Association's College of Labor & Employment Lawyers
        • International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
        • Washington DC Super Lawyers

        Professional Associations

        • State Bar of Texas Association
        • Texas College of the State Bar
        • Michigan Bar Association
        • Houston Bar Association
        • National Employment Law Council (President)
        • The American Bar Association (Chair of the Employment Law Committee of the Business Law Section)
        • National Bar Association
        • International Association of Defense Counsel
        • Defense Research Institute
        • Litigation Counsel of America
      • Community Involvement

         

         

        Member, Board of Visitors

        College of William & Mary School of Law,

         

         

        Chairman of the Board of Governors

        The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

        Member, Counselors Council

        Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

      • Prior Speaking Events

        Ms. Johnson is a frequent speaker at seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association, ALI-ABA, The State Bar of Texas, the University of Texas, The National Employment Law Council, Organization Resources Counselors, The National Employment Law Institute and the Council on Education in Management.

         

        She also has prepared supervisor training materials, and frequently provides training in virtually all aspect of employment law and human resources management. Ms. Johnson is on the faculty of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and has published a chapter regarding workplace drug testing in the organization's treatise. She has authored papers and delivered more than fifty public speeches, including:

        • Open for Business: Developing a Welcoming and Compliant Workplace for LGBTQ
          ABA Law Section Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. September 2019
        • Direct Examinations
          ABA Labor & Employment Section Trial Institute, Faculty and Coach, Chicago, Illinois. September 2019.
        • Direct Examinations (Chapter), Trial Techniques for the Labor and Employment Practitioner
          ABA Labor & Employment Section Contributor. 2019.
        • Hot Topics in Employment Law and Marijuana and the Workplace
          ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Faculty, Santa Fe, New Mexico. July 2019.
        • Employee Well-Being: What Can and Can't Employers Ask?
          ABA Commission on Disability Rights, Webinar. October 2019.
        • BYOD: Creating Policies That Will Not Leave a Hangover DC Bar, Changing Currents in Labor & Employment Law, Washington, DC. October 2019.
        • Recent Developments in Employment Law, 2018 ed.”
          – Barbara Johnson (editor), Anat Maytal, Andy Knauss, et al. – ABA Business Law Section
        • “Direct Examinations in Employment Cases”
          (book chapter for Trial Techniques For The Labor And Employment Law Practitioner) – Barbara Johnson, Sandra Pullman, and Andy Knauss
        • Drugs in the Workplace” –ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, 2018 Annual Conference
        • “Workplace Harassment & Discrimination: How to Stay Out of Tomorrow’s Headlines
        • “FMLA and ADA – The Advanced Class” - NAMWOLF Labor & Employment PAC  
        • “The Evolving Practice of Law: Delivery of Legal Services, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity”
          -- William & Mary Law School African American Alumni Reunion – Williamsburg, VA
        • “‘Ban the Box’ and Increasing Regulation of Background Checks”
          –ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, 2017 Annual Conference – Santa Fe, NM
        • “Criminal Background Checks, Credit Checks & Workplace Drug Testing”
          –ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, 2017 Annual Conference – Santa Fe, NM
        • “Damages in Employment Law Cases” –2017 Annual Conference – Santa Fe, NM
        • “Marijuana in the Workplace” – ALI-CLE Current Developments in   Employment Law, 2017 Annual Conference – Santa Fe, NM
        • “National Trends in Employment Law” – Federal Bar Association, Utah Chapter – St. George, UT
        • “Investigation Techniques: Legal Requirements of Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigations
        • New Employment Laws & Rules Coming to Your Workplace: City Halls & State Capitols Flex Their Muscles.
          ALI-CLE
        • Attorney's Fees in Employment Litigation
          National Employment Law Institute
        • Ethics and Professional Responsibility
          ALI-ABA Course of Study, Current Developments in Employment Law
        • Federal Law Practice
          Old Dominion Bar Association
        • The Texas Whistleblower Act
          South Texas College of Law Symposium for Lawyers and School Administrators
        • Juries - Deliberated Conclusions or Consultant's Guarantee
          National Employment Law Council
        • Effectively Responding to State and Federal Agencies Counsel of Education in Management
        • Pitfalls of E-Mail - Electronic Communications in the Workplace
          Substance Abuse Program Administrators
        • Controlling Costs and Running Your Business-Managing the Cross-Over of Workers Comp, FMLA and ADA
          Counsel of Education in Management
        • The Unstable Employee: How to Balance Your Legal, Ethical and Co-Worker Obligations With Confidence
          Counsel of Education in Management
        • Arbitration and Other Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms
          ALI-ABA Course of Study, Current Developments in Employment Law
        • Technology in the Courtroom
          National Employment Law Council
        • How to Deal With a Disabled Plaintiff
        • Out of Joint: How the Growing Disconnect Between Federal and State Marijuana Laws Impacts Employers
        • Auer Deference Significantly Curtailed in Supreme Court's Ruling That Pharmaceutical Sales Lawmakers Defending Password-Protected Employee Accounts: Employers Need to Proceed Smartly
        • Ninth Circuit Finding in Pharmaceutical Sales Reps Case is a Coup for Big Pharma

         

      • Publications & Presentations

        Recent Trends in Employment and Labor Law

        Presented at the Southern Utah Federal Law Symposium

        Marijuana and the Workplace

        Presented at the 2017 National Employment Law Council Annual Conference

        Legal Requirements of Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigation

        Two Groundbreaking Cases End Long Run of Employer-Friendly

         

        Workplace Drug Testing Decisions

        August 2017

        Federal Court Holds Federal Law Does Not Preempt Connecticut Law Prohibiting Discrimination Against Lawful Users of Marijuana​

        September 2017

        Federal Court Holds Federal Law Does Not Preempt Connecticut Law Prohibiting Discrimination Against Lawful Users of Marijuana​

        September 2017

        Ban the Box and Increasing Regulation of Background Checks

        June 2017

        Damages in Employment Law Cases

        Presented at the 2017 Current Developments in Employment Law Conference

        Marijuana in the Workplace

        Presented at the 2017 Current Developments in Employment Law Conferenc

        Recent Trends in Employment & Labor Law

        Presented at the 2017 Southern Utah Federal Law Symposium

        Recent Trends in Employment & Labor Law

        Presented at the 2017 Southern Utah Federal Law Symposium

        The Future of Federal Whistleblower Programs

        February 2017

        Winning Your Case Through Courtroom Technology

        ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law 11th Annual Conference, November 2017
         

        What Lawyers Need to Know About Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity

        2018

        What Lawyers Need to Know About Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity

        2018

        The Evolving Practice of Law

        Presented at William & Mary Law School, 2018

        Action By Department of Justice To Enforce Federal Marijuana Laws Is Inconsistent With
        State and Local Laws Protecting Marijuana Users

        2018

        Action By Department of Justice To Enforce Federal Marijuana Laws Is Inconsistent With
        State and Local Laws Protecting Marijuana Users

        2018

        Covid-19: Guidance to Employers About Returning to the Workplace

        2020

        Supreme Court Ruling Strengthens LGBT Workplace Rights

        June 2020

        Updates to the D.C. Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act

        July 2020

      • Contact

        BLJohnsonLaw
        1300 I Street, NW
        Suite 400E
        Washington, DC 20005
        Office: (202) 749-8322

        Cell: (202) 528-0077

      • Directions

      • Terms of Use / Disclaimer

        Employment Law Matters is provided subject to your compliance with the terms and conditions set forth in these Terms of Use (the “Site Terms”). These Site Terms apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the Site, which is owned and published by BLJohnsonLaw PLLC (“BLJohnsonLaw”). Upon access to the Site, you are granted a nonexclusive, nontransferable, limited right to access, use and display the blog and the materials provided hereon, provided that you comply fully with the Site Terms.

         

        No Legal Advice / No Attorney-Client Relationship

        The purpose of this blog is to provide an analysis of selected legal issues; recent developments in the areas of labor and employment law and what they mean to employers; and other information and materials relevant to businesses today. All materials provided on this site are for informational purposes only and are not intended to and do not constitute legal advice or a solicitation for the formation of an attorney-client relationship. The information provided on this Site may not apply to your particular facts or circumstances; therefore, you should seek legal counsel prior to relying on any information that may be found on this Site. Furthermore, information provided on this Site may not reflect the most recent developments in the law and may not be applicable in your particular jurisdiction. Therefore, you should not act on any of the information contained on this Site until you obtain legal counsel from a qualified individual in your jurisdiction.

         

        This blog is not intended to be advertising, and BLJohnsonLaw does not desire to represent anyone desiring representation based upon viewing this blog in a jurisdiction where this blog fails to comply with all laws and ethical rules of that jurisdiction. In addition, BLJohnsonLaw PLLC nor Barbara L. Johnson seek to practice law in states, territories or foreign countries where she is not properly authorized to do so.

         

        No Advertisement

        This Site and the information contained herein are not intended to be an advertisement or solicitation of business, but it may be considered an advertisement in some jurisdictions.

        Warranty Disclaimers

        The information on the blog may be changed without notice, and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete or up-to-date. BLJohnsonLaw PLLC nor Barbara L. Johnson will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages arising from the display or use of the blog. The information in this blog is provided as is, with no warranties and confers no rights.

         

        This Site may contain, as a convenience to you, content, links and other information submitted by third parties over whom BLJohnsonLaw PLLC has no control or responsibility. BLJohnsonLaw has no obligation to monitor, control or restrict the use of this Site or third party websites accessible via links on this Site. These third party sites are not under BLJohnsonLaw's control, and you acknowledge that BLJohnsonLaw is not responsible for the accuracy, copyright compliance, legality, decency or any other aspect of the content of such sites. Such links are provided as citations and aids to help individual readers identify and locate other Internet resources that may be of interest and are not intended to state or imply that BLJohnsonLaw PLLC sponsors, is affiliated or associated with, endorses, or is legally authorized to use any trade name, trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or symbol that may be reflected in any such links. Moreover, BLJohnsonLaw PLLC has no obligation to verify any User Content submitted by a user or to provide any registration or other information to you concerning any Content.

         

        Materials on this blog may only be reproduced in their entirety (without modification) for the individual reader’s personal and/or educational use and must include this Notice and Disclaimer.

      All Posts
      ×
      Cookie Use
      We use cookies to ensure a smooth browsing experience. By continuing we assume you accept the use of cookies.
      Learn More