Ms. Johnston is an Associate with Wilke, Fleury, Hoffelt, Gould & Birney, LLP. Ms. Johnston joined the firm in the fall of 1998 after graduating from U.C. Davis School of Law. She received a Bachelor's Degree in English, with highest honors, from U.C. Berkeley. Ms. Johnston served as law clerk to U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson in the Central District of California from 2000-2001.

Prior to law school, Ms. Johnston worked in the Human Resources Department at U.C. Davis, advising University management on a variety of labor and employment issues. She also worked as an Insurance Contract Analyst at U.C. Davis.

Professional and Business Affiliations

Ms. Johnston is former Program Chair of the Health Care Law Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association. At U.C. Davis she was a member of the Order of the Coif.

Professional Licenses

Ms. Johnston is licensed to practice before the courts of the State of California. She is admitted to the State Bar of California in November 1998.

EXPERIENCE

Wilke, Fleury, Hoffelt, Gould & Birney, LLP
Associate Attorney (Oct. 1998 - August 2000; February 2001 - present)

• Wide range of litigation experience, including trial, drafting complaints and answers,  law and motion practice, discovery, case investigation and analysis, and settlement negotiations, primarily in the area of employment law. 
• Advise clients on wide variety of employment issues, including discipline and discharge, wage and hour law, and various protected leave issues. 
• Respond to DFEH complaints. 
• Conduct sexual harassment training mandated by AB 1825. 

United States District Court, Central District of California
Law Clerk to the Honorable Dean D. Pregerson (August 2000—February 2001)

Responsible for reviewing and researching variety of legal issues raised by civil and criminal motions, and writing tentative rulings and orders. 

University of California, Davis
Insurance Contracting Analyst (1995 - 1997)

• Negotiated health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance contracts for five University student groups.

Hearing Officer (1994 - 1995)

• Conducted approximately twenty-five administrative hearings per month to adjudicate parking tickets.  As University’s first Hearing Officer, ensured all procedures for conducting hearings were in compliance with state law.

Advocacy and Research Assistant (1992 - 1995)

• Provided legal research and case preparation for administrative hearings on employee grievances.  Investigated cases by interviewing witnesses and collecting and analyzing documents.