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James A. Johnson
Principal
jjohnson@semmes.com

Baltimore Office
Suite 1400
25 S. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410.576-4712
410.539.5223 (Fax)

Washington Office
Suite 1000
1025 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20036
202.822.8250

Mr. Johnson represents a variety of clients in a wide range of business disputes involving litigation, arbitration, appellate work and Alternative Dispute Resolution. His experience includes representation of clients in disputes involving Business Relationships (Contracts, Mergers & Acquisitions, Licensing, Class Actions, Financing and Lender Liability); Business Competition (Unfair Competition, False Advertising, Interference with Contract, Fraud, Defamation, Conversion and Trespass); Intellectual Property (Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secrets); Bankruptcy (Creditors' Claims and Defense of Preference Actions); Labor and Employment (Restrictive Covenants, Labor Disputes, Proceedings under the National Labor Relations Act, Wrongful Termination Claims and Claims under the ADA, ADEA, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and related State and Federal Statutes); Corporate Governance (Director & Officer Liability, Stockholder Rights, Corporate Structure, Securities Disputes, and Partnership Disputes); Business Regulation (Securities Regulation, Anti Trust Regulation and Truth In Lending Regulation); Pollution Control/Underground Storage Tanks; Estate and Trusts; and Maritime Issues.

Mr. Johnson achieved an A/V® rating from Martindale Hubbell®, the highest possible peer review rating for ethics and legal ability. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Maryland Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and is listed as a "Master of the Bench" in the James C. Cawood, Jr., Inn of Court. Mr. Johnson has been repeatedly recognized as one of Baltimore and D.C’s top attorneys by The American Registry as published in the Washington Post. He is listed among the Best Lawyers in America for 2010, 2011 and 2012 (Commercial Litigation, First Amendment Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation and Labor and Employment Litigation) by Best Lawyers as compiled by Woodward/White, Inc. He has also been selected as a Maryland Super Lawyer (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters Business, as published in Baltimore Magazine and Super Lawyers Magazine.

Arbitration/Mediation Experience

Mr. Johnson has been involved in the arbitration and mediation of numerous complex business disputes. His training includes the introductory and advanced courses in mediation given by the Center for Dispute Settlement in Washington, D.C., the advanced mediation training course given by the National Law Firm Mediation Network, the Civil Mediation course given by the Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers, Inc. (MICPEL), and the Advanced Mediator Training provided by CPR International. Mr Johnson is currently a member of CPR International’s Regional Panel of Highly Qualified Neutrals and is certified as a civil mediator for four Circuit Courts in Maryland. Recently, Mr. Johnson served as the Chairman of a three-member Tribunal in an arbitration relating to complex business matters.

Admitted

• 2006, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
• 1994, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• 1986, Supreme Court of the United States
• 1985, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• 1985, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• 1985, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
• 1982, United States District Court for the District of Maryland
• 1982, Court of Appeals of Maryland

Education

• University of Maryland (J.D., 1982), Order of The Coif
• Loyola College (M.Ed., 1973)
• Catholic University of America (B.A., cum laude, 1969; M.A., 1970)

Affiliations, Associations & Special Achievements

• District of Columbia Bar Association
• Maryland State Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• American Intellectual Property Association
• Maritime Law Association of the United States
• The Defense Research Institute (Business Litigation Committee)
• Business Litigation Committee of ALFA International

Publications

• Defense Research Institute: Commercial Litigation Committee State-By-State Compendium on Trade Secrets and Non-Compete Clauses for Maryland (2009)
• Maryland State Bar Association Labor & Employment Newsletter: Article Regarding Covenants Not to Compete Labor and Employment Law Publication (2009)
• Defense Research Institute: Unfair Trade Practices, A Compendium of State Law, Maryland (2005)