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Public Speaking

Barbara L. Johnson is an accomplished employment lawyer and workplace consultant with a passion for creating safe and productive workplace cultures--where all members feel valued, respected, and empowered to accomplish their business and career goals.

As a passionate speaker and storyteller, she draws on her years of substantial and multifaceted experience to go beyond the courtroom and educate employers and other employment lawyers on a wide array of employment-related topics.

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Speaking Topics

Barbara discusses a wide array of employment related issues

DEI and Cultural Competency

Trial Techniques

Investigation Techniques

Discrimination and Harassment

Dispute Resolution

Whistleblower Claims

Recent Speaking Engagements

Unpacking the Impact of the Executive Orders Part II with In-House Counsel, NAMWOLF Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA 2025.
Faculty, ABA NELC Fourth Labor and Employment Law Trial Institute, Chicago, IL 2025.
DEI in the Workplace: Key Developments and Trends, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law conference in San Diego, CA 2025.
Hear from 5 Federal Judges and an Arbitrator, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law conference in San Diego, CA 2025.
Hot Topics in Employment Law, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law conference in San Diego, CA 2025.
Unpacking the Impact of the Executive Orders with In-House Counsel, NAMWOLF Driving Diversity & Leadership Conference, Phoenix, AZ 2025.
Corporate DEI Initiatives Under Attack: Best Practices to Reduce Risk, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Santa Fe, NM 2024.
Hot Topics in Employment Law, Current Developments in Employment Law, Santa Fe, NM 2024.
Recent Developments in the Laws Governing Non-Compete Agreement and the Status of the New FTC Rule, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Santa Fe, NM 2024.
DEI Under Siege Strategies: for Navigating the Uncertain Legal Landscape of DEI, National Employment Law Counsel Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, May 2024.
The Future of Workplace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Progams After the SCOTUS Decision in SFFA and University of North Carolina Cases, ABA Labor and Employment Law Section Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, November 2023.
Workplace Violence Prevention, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Santa Fe, NM, July 2023.
Remote Workers—Employment Issues, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Santa Fe, NM, July 2023.
The Future of the Workplace, National Employment Law Annual Conference, May 2023.
Strategies for Using Workplace Investigations and Audits in Employment Litigation, ABA Labor and Employment Law Section Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. November 2022.
Sexual Harassment Investigations, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Santa Fe, NM 2021.
Open for Business: Developing a Welcoming and Compliant Workplace for LGBTQ Employees, ABA Labor and Employment Law Section Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. September 2019.
Direct Examinations, ABA Labor & Employment Section Trial Institute, Faculty and Coach, Chicago, Illinois. September 2019.

Speaking Engagements Cont'd

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.
Hot Topics in Employment Law and Marijuana and the Workplace, ALI- CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Faculty, Santa Fe, New Mexico. July 2018.
FMLA and ADA: The Advanced Class, NAMWOLF Labor & Employment PAC, Faculty, San Diego, California. February 2018.
The Evolving Practice of Law: Delivery of Legal Services, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity, William & Mary Law School African American Alumni Reunion, Williamsburg, Virginia. February 2018.
Winning Your Case Through Courtroom Technology, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, 11th Annual Conference, Washington, DC. November 2017.
Ban the Box and Increasing Regulation of Background Checks, ALI- CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Faculty, Santa Fe, New Mexico. July 2017.
Criminal Background Checks, Credit Checks & Workplace Drug Testing, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Faculty, Santa Fe, New Mexico. July 2017.
Damages in Employment Law Cases, ALI-CLE Current Developments In Employment Law, Faculty, Santa Fe, New Mexico. July 2017.
Marijuana in the Workplace, ALI-CLE Current Developments in Employment Law, Faculty, Santa Fe, New Mexico. July 2017.
National Trends in Employment Law, Southern Utah Federal Law Symposium, Federal Bar Association, Utah Chapter, Faculty, St. George, Utah. May 2017.
Investigation Techniques: Legal Requirements of Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigations, May 2017.

Workplace Harassment & Discrimination: How to Stay Out of Tomorrow’s Headlines.
The Unstable Employee: How to Balance Your Legal, Ethical and Co-Worker Obligations With Confidence, Counsel of Education in Management.

Publications

The Practical Lawyer, Do You Know Where Your Employees are Working? State and Local Employment Laws for Remote Working, July 2024.

Association of Workplace Investigators Journal, Investigating Alleged Misconduct by Corporate Leaders, December 2019.

Direct Examinations (Chapter), Trial Techniques for the Labor and Employment Practitioner, ABA Labor & Employment Section, Contributor, 2019.

American Bar Association, Chapter Author, Trial Techniques For The Labor And Employment Law Practitioner, published 2018.

Recent Developments in Employment Law (2018 ed.), Editor and Contributor, ABA Business Law Section.

Federal Action on Marijuana Use, Bulletin. May 2018.

Recent Developments in Employment Law (2017 ed.), Editor and Contributor, ABA Business Law Section.

Community Involvement

Vice-Rector, Board of Visitors

College of William & Mary School of Law

Immediate Past President

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

Member, Counselors Council

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

A Life of Purpose: Going Beyond The Courtroom

"My life of purpose is a life of service through education, motivation and inspiration of others; of joyful and passionate creativity; of abundance and serene spirituality. I live in harmony with the universe and with the spirit of my ancestors."

-Barbara L. Johnson

Barbara recognizes the critical role of human talent to the success of all enterprises, and she is passionate about providing sound, practical, and effective guidance to employers as they navigate increasingly complex employment relationships. She envisions a world where employers can accomplish their business objectives, while creating productive workplaces where workers feel valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.

And in order to accomplish her mission, truly impact workplace cultures for the better, and live a life of purpose, she believes that she must go beyond the courtroom and speak to organizations and employment lawyers in a different capacity with a fresh perspective.

Public Speaking