George Johnston has a nationally recognized labor and employment practice.
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for Labor and Employment Law (Woodward/White), where he's been listed for more than 15 years, Mr. Johnston handles the full range of employment litigation -- discrimination, wrongful discharge, breach of contract and other employment-related actions.
In major employment class actions, he applies his extensive experience in statistical analysis to defeat certification and to structure powerful arguments in litigation. In fields as diverse as biotechnology, food service, government contracting, education, banking/financial and others, his subject-matter knowledge is combined with his legal experience to produce compelling advocacy for his clients.
His focus is on preventing litigation and obtaining strategic advantages in areas of salary equity, employee performance and workforce sizing. He regularly counsels significant clients on affirmative action compliance and workforce diversity. He has significant experience defending clients in OFCCP compensation reviews.
Mr. Johnston is widely respected in the employment bar. He is invited to serve on major federal court committees. For more than 30 years, he has worked effectively with enforcement agencies on the federal, state and local levels, and has trained agency personnel.
Mr. Johnston has served as Venable's Chief Operating Officer and head of its Litigation Division.
Representative Clients
· Johns Hopkins University
· Kellogg Company
· Sodexo
· Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
· Fortune 20 Retailer
Significant Matters
· National compensation program review
· Diversity audits and/or implementation of national diversity programs for FORTUNE 150 companies
· One of the largest employment class actions in federal court history
· Glass-ceiling/corporate management reviews related to Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
· Defense of a public entity's restructuring of its IT operations
Activities
Mr. Johnston is a prominent lecturer and has participated in Industry Liaison Group (ILG) seminars, as well as speaking across the country on recent developments in employment law and new directions in affirmative action.
He is a civic leader in both technology training and the arts. He has chaired the Baltimore Urban League Advisory Board, the Information Processing Training Center Board and served on the Affirmative Action Subcommittee of the United Way.
He has chaired Maryland Citizens for the Arts and Arts Education in Maryland Schools.
Mr. Johnston has served as a trustee of the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Opera Company.
He currently serves on the board of Free State Legal Services.
Industries
Government Contractors
Judicial Clerkships
Honorable C. Stanley Blair, U.S. District Court of Maryland, 1975 - 1976
Memberships
American Bar Association, Administrative and Labor Law Section
News
December 15, 2011, Maryland edition of Super Lawyers 2012 honors 38 Venable attorneys
September 14, 2011, 75 Venable attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012
January 19, 2011, George Johnston's recognition as James Baldwin Medal recipient noted by Daily Record
December 14, 2010, George Johnston to receive civil rights award
August 23, 2010, 65 Venable attorneys receive 2011 Best Lawyers honors
February 10, 2009, Maryland edition of Super Lawyers 2009 list honors 40 Venable attorneys
August 25, 2008
Fifty-nine Venable Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers in America Honors
September 12, 2007, Fifty-five Venable Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers in America Honors
October 2, 2006, Forty-Seven Venable Lawyers Cited Among The Best Lawyers in America
October 5, 2005, Forty Venable Lawyers Cited Among "Best Lawyers in America"
June 10, 2005, Venable Makes Impressive Gains on Latest Chambers USA Rankings
December 13, 2004, 23 Venable Partners Cited Among "Best Lawyers in America" in Bi-Annual Peer-Reviewed Survey
April 26, 2004, Venable Lawyers and Practice Groups Score On Latest Chambers USA Rankings
August 21, 2003, Venable Multi-Practice Team Assists Mercantile Bank shares in $543.4 Million Dollar Acquisition of F&M Bancorp
Honors
· Recognized in the 2006 edition of Chambers USA, (Band 2), Employment, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2005 edition of Chambers USA, (Band 3), Employment, Maryland
· Listed for more than 15 years in The Best Lawyers in America, Labor and Employment Law, (Woodward/White, Inc)
· AV® Peer-Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
· Selected for inclusion in Maryland Super Lawyers 2008, 2009 and 2012
Publications
For more than 30 years, Mr. Johnston has been a prolific publisher of timely, informative articles on topics of national scope. His writings include "Coping with AIDS in the Workplace" and "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace," as well as the Affirmative Action Handbook and Maryland Employers' Guide to Equal Employment Law.
June 2011, OFCCP Announces Newly Revised Functional Affirmative Action Program Standards
George W. Johnston
Labor & Employment News Alert
January 2011, OFCCP Adopts New Audit Procedures and Strategy
George W. Johnston
Labor & Employment News Alert
December 2010, OFCCP Adopts New Audit Procedures and Strategy
George W. Johnston
Labor & Employment News Alert
December 16, 2010, So You Want To Be On The Internet ®
Maurice Baskin, George E. Constantine, Todd R. Farnsworth, Mikhia E. Hawkins,Lisa M. Hix, George W. Johnston, Matthew T. Journy, Joshua J. Kaufman, Gilead I. Light, Luisa M. Lopez, Caryn G. Pass, Janet F. Satterthwaite, Melissa Landau Steinman, Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Armand J. (A.J.) Zottola
Related Topic Area(s): Social Media
November 2010, "The Department of Labor Expands Its Definition of a Government Subcontractor: Is Your Business Next?"
George W. Johnston
Labor & Employment News Alert
October 2010, DOJ Issues Rulemaking Notice on Mandatory Website Accessibility for the Disabled
George W. Johnston, Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Employment Law, Miscellaneous
September 2010, Department of Justice Issues Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Accessibility of Web Information and Services
George W. Johnston
Labor & Employment News Alert
Events/Speaking Engagements
Mr. Johnston speaks often to groups such as the Industry Liaison Group of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Maryland Association of Affirmative Action Officers on issues related to workforce diversity and employment law compliance.
(Also at Baltimore, Maryland Office)