Bio

Mr. Johnston specializes in corporate and technology transactions. He began his practice in Washington, DC, where he worked primarily in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. He came to Atlanta in 1993 to serve as General Counsel for Hitachi Electronics USA. He also served as General Counsel and Vice President of OFS Fitel, a large manufacturer of optical fiber. As a part of his responsibilities at OFS, he was involved in transactional and regulatory issues around the globe, with a particular emphasis on emerging markets and management of a global patent portfolio. Mr. Johnston’s practice focuses on assisting clients with a wide range of corporate and technology matters. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions in technology, broadcast, financial services and other industries. He assists high-growth companies plan for and obtain venture capital and angel funding (equity, debt and convertible notes), from negotiation of term sheets through transaction closing. His corporate practice also includes matters such as corporate reorganizations, federal and state securities compliance, corporate governance issues, and shareholder agreements. His technology practice includes structuring and negotiation of a wide range of agreements, including software and technology licensing, cloud services, source code escrow, professional services, joint development, and strategic alliances, and advising clients on a range of intellectual property issues. Mr. Johnston is also a CPA, and worked for Deloitte for four years before attending law school. His experience as a CPA and his business experience are invaluable in corporate counseling areas including mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. He also holds an MA degree in economics from Brown University. Mr. Johnston is a member of the State Bars of Georgia, District of Columbia and Texas, and maintains his license as a CPA in Georgia and Texas. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the MIT Enterprise Forum of Atlanta, and was one of the founding board members of the Atlanta IT Alliance and Technology Association of Georgia International Business Society. He has also served in leadership positions with the Capital Funding Committee of the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce and other professional associations.