Mr. Johnson chairs the Firm's Economic Development and Cross-Border Corporate Transactions practices where he leads a team of attorneys focused on inbound investment into the U.S., as well as domestic expansions of U.S. companies. He counsels domestic and international public and private entities in areas including cross-border transactions, foreign direct investment, international trade and market entry, and commercial and corporate law. He works with clients in advanced manufacturing industries, with a specific focus on automotive, aerospace, heavy and advanced manufacturing, and technology. In 2019, he carried out a secondment assignment in the inhouse legal department of a client and global aerospace leader in Bern, Switzerland.
Mr. Johnson has extensive experience in trade, investment and M&A projects in Europe, Latin America and Africa. He is the North American corporate counsel for numerous European, Latin American, and Asian entities in diverse manufacturing and service industries and is corporate counsel for several U.S.-based exporters. He has guided many entities in their initial market entry and establishment of manufacturing facilities and commercial operations in the U.S., from site selection, negotiation of incentives and tax abatements through launch of operations. His work for these companies includes corporate structuring, general commercial advisory services, corporate compliance, including anti-corruption and due diligence. Additionally, he provides Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) training for clients. As a polyglot fluent in French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, and Catalan, his cross-border legal and cultural skills are critical in serving as a trusted advisor for domestic and international companies.
Mr. Johnson also worked for FIFA (the international governing body of football [soccer], based in Zurich, Switzerland) as a FIFA Media Officer in charge of venue media operations for the FIFA World Cup France (1998), Sydney Olympics (2000), FIFA Confederations Cup Korea – Japan (2001), FIFA World Cup Korea – Japan (2002), FIFA Women's World Cup USA (Head Media Officer, 2003), FIFA Confederations Cup Germany (2005), FIFA World Cup Germany (2006), FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada (2007) and the FIFA World Cup South Africa (2010).
Mr. Johnson also worked as an economic development practitioner for the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama from 1995 to 2001. He focused on the recruitment of foreign owned, inward-bound investment projects to the state of Alabama, and participated in local and state incentive negotiations, representation of the State in the U.S. and abroad, and trade and export initiatives.
Mr. Johnson has served as Honorary Consul of Germany in Alabama since 2011. He was previously Honorary Consul of Brazil for Alabama from 1995 to 2010.