Practices plaintiff class action law, professional malpractice law, labor law, ERISA law, civil litigation, and is a certified civil trial specialist with the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education & Specialization, and is certified in civil trial advocacy with the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

EDUCATION

• 1977 – Nashville School of Law - JD
• 1969 – Kenyon College – BA

ADMISSIONS

• 1977 - Tennessee Bar
• 1980 – U.S. District Court, Middle District Tennessee
• 1985 – U.S. Supreme Court
• 1991 – 6th Circuit Court of Appeals

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• 1977-1981 – Assistant District Attorney General – Nashville, Tennessee
• 1982-1987 – Legal Counsel & Administrative Assistant, Bill Boner, United States Representative
• 1985-1987 – Associate Staff, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives
• 1988 – Legislative Counsel, Metropolitan Government, Nashville, Tennessee
• Member – Nashville Bar Association
• Member – American Bar Association
• Member – American Association for Justice
• Member – Tennessee Association for Justice
• Member – National Employment Lawyers Association

SIGNIFICANT CASES

• Class action litigation with a particular emphasis on securities, antitrust and consumer fraud litigation. Examples of class actions where Mr. Johnston played a significant role in achieving a substantial settlement include:
• In re Dollar General Corp. Securities Litigation, Case No. 3:01-0388 (M.D. Tenn.) (J. Wiseman) (Served as Plaintiffs' Liaison Counsel in action brought against Dollar General Corporation, its officers, and directors alleging violations of federal securities laws resulting in a settlement of $162 million.  To date, the largest securities class action settlement in  6th Circuit and Tennessee history and the eighth largest settlement of a securities class action since the passage of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act in 1995);
• In re Prison Realty Securities Litigation, Civ. No. 3-99-0452 (M.D. Tenn) (J. Campbell) (Served as Liaison Counsel of Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in an action brought against Prison Realty Trust, Inc., its officers, and directors alleging violations of federal securities laws.  Case was consolidated with two other related cases resulting in a settlement of $107 million.);
• Craft v. Vanderbilt University, et al, Civ. No. 3-94-0090 (M.D. Tenn)(J. Nixon) (Served as Co-Counsel in a class action brought against Vanderbilt University, its medical center, and others in connection with 1940s experiment in which pregnant women unknowingly ingested radioactive iron isotopes resulting in a settlement of $10 million);
• In re Corrections Corporation of America Shareholder Litigation, Civ. No. 98-1257-III (Davidson. Cty. Chancery Ct.) (Chancellor Lyle) (Served as a member of Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in a class action brought on behalf of former Corrections Corporation of America shareholders alleging breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the merger between Corrections Corporation of America and Prison Realty Trust resulting in a settlement valued at $32 million to the Plaintiff class);
• In re Sirrom Capital Corporation Securities Litigation, Civ. No. 3-98-0643 (M.D. Tenn.) (J. Campbell) (Served as one of Plaintiffs' counsel in a securities class action resulting in a settlement of $15 million);
• Paul Senior et al. v. ShoLodge, Inc., et al., Civ. No. 98C-136 (Sumner Cty. Chancery Ct.)(Chancellor Grey) (Served as co-lead counsel in a state securities class action brought on behalf of investors of ShoLodge, Inc. who purchased ShoLodge securities and bonds resulting in a settlement near $1.55 million).