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Mr. Johnson is one of BTJD’s founding partners. He started BTJD with a couple of college buddies after each of them had commenced their careers with large, elite law firms. They have grown BTJD to over 35 lawyers. It is a full service commercial firm. BTJD is highly regarded for its stable of top-notch lawyers—lawyers who know how to achieve the best possible results for their clients.
At BTJD, Mr. Johnson serves on the firm’s management committee. He routinely advises the firm and other firms on law firm management, conflicts of interest, and ethics issues. He also leads BTJD’s commercial litigation section. Managing and trying cases—particularly jury trials—is what he enjoys most about his job. For nearly thirty years, he has successfully managed complex, high-stakes disputes involving a wide array of subject matters: partnership disputes, creditor/debtor disputes, class actions, securities fraud cases, employment disputes (including disputes relating to the enforceability of restrictive covenants), trade secret litigation, real estate development disputes, construction defect litigation, and adversary proceedings in bankruptcy cases.
In the course of his practice, Mr. Johnson has tried, arbitrated, mediated, and successfully settled hundreds of cases. His forte is trial advocacy and oral argument. Clients, judges, jurors, and colleagues routinely note Mr. Johnson’s courtroom prowess and efficacy. He is known to strike the perfect balance of passion and reason, while making complex issues simple and easy to understand. One Utah trial judge noted Mr. Johnson’s expert advocacy by stating in a written ruling that “counsel in the case [were] some of the best and most proficient litigators this court has had the pleasure of watching work.”
Mr. Johnson has been a member of the Utah State Bar since 1992. He is admitted to practice law in Utah state and federal courts, the Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He has repeatedly been selected by his peers as one of Utah’s “Legal Elite.”
Mr. Johnson received his Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Brigham Young University in 1988. He received his Juris Doctorate degree and graduated cum laude from Willamette University School of Law in Salem, Oregon. There, he won the first year moot court competition and served as Articles Editor for the Willamette University Law Review.
When not practicing law, Mr. Johnson enjoys being outside and active. He has trained for and run thirty-five marathons, and he loves to mountain bike and hike peaks. He has qualified for and run the Boston Marathon. He has climbed Mt. Whitney—the highest peak in the continental United States—twice. And twice he has completed the vaunted forty-six mile Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim trek across the Grand Canyon—once in 20 hours and once in 15 hours. Mr. Johnson’s more relaxing hobbies include boating, skiing, and wake surfing.
Mr. Johnson is active in his church and community, devoting 15 to 20 hours a week to such service. He and his wife, Tonya, reside in Alpine, Utah. They have six children and three grandchildren. Their family is their greatest source of happiness and joy.