Bryan Johnson

Of Counsel
“Employment law is where people, business, and strategy meet, and that’s where I thrive, helping leaders make smart, sound decisions in challenging moments.”

Bryan Johnson advises management across industries—including hospitality, technology, aviation, and real estate—on a wide range of matters. He represents clients in disputes involving contracts, fiduciary duties, trade secrets, discrimination, and partnerships, and is known for his steady courtroom presence. Outside of litigation, Bryan counsels on employment agreements, restrictive covenants, severance agreements, and executive compensation, delivering practical guidance that protects business priorities and mitigates risk.

In addition to his role as Of Counsel at the firm, Bryan serves as Chief Legal Officer of FlyHouse, a trailblazer in private aircraft management. As CLO, he leads the company’s in-house legal department, overseeing all legal and regulatory matters—including mergers and acquisitions, aviation compliance, IP protection, employment issues, and dispute resolution—while helping guide FlyHouse through its next chapter of growth.

Bryan is active in professional and community circles. He has sat on the Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee and previously chaired its Commercial Litigation Committee. He also volunteers his time to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, he served for several years on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Montessori Academy of Chicago, and provides pro bono representation in support of tenants’ rights and local nonprofit initiatives.

Associated Practice Areas

Labor & Employment

Representative Matters

  • Employment Advice & Counseling: Drafted and negotiated employment, independent contractor and severance agreements for several management-side clients.
  • Employment Advice & Counseling: Created background check policies for a series of employers.
  • Employment Litigation: Successfully resolved fraudulent unemployment claims before the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).
  • Trademark & Copyright: Represented a leading photo entertainment website against copyright infringement claims.
  • Banking & Finance: Represented mortgage servicing agents in borrower suits alleging violations of mortgage agreements and federal statutes, including FDCPA, RESPA, EFTA
  • Advertising Litigation: Represented a men’s lifestyle and photoblog website in an international lawsuit alleging breach of online advertising sales and licensing contract.
  • Complex Litigation: Represented title insurer and escrowee against breach of contract and breach of fiduciary claims in litigation concerning development of $50M senior living facility.
  • Purchase & Sales: Represented a restaurateur in the purchase and sale of ten businesses since 2013.
  • Advertising & Digital Media: Represented a healthcare technology company in the negotiation of hundreds of advertising contracts and buyout agreements with international pharmaceutical manufacturers and their media agencies.
  • Healthcare/Intellectual Property: Represented a healthcare technology company in the negotiation of dozens of master services agreements with international pharmaceutical manufacturers with specific emphasis on retention and assignment of intellectual property rights.
  • Class Action: Obtained dismissal of a putative class action lawsuit filed against a well-known insurance carrier that alleged failure to pay interest on settlement of claims. Successfully argued that the Illinois Interest Act did not apply to settlement agreements. The dismissal was affirmed by the First District Appellate Court of Illinois in matter of first impression.
  • Construction Litigation: Obtained summary judgment on behalf of an architect in a multi-million-dollar suit alleging breach of contract and violations of express and implied warranties related to significant construction defects and maintenance defects in a 35-floor condominium building.
  • Healthcare Litigation: Aggressively defended a healthcare consulting firm against a hospital’s $10M breach of contract and breach of fiduciary counterclaims arising from development of $250M senior living facility, resulting in extremely favorable settlement.
  • Insurance Broker Litigation: Advocated for an insurance broker plaintiff in a federal lawsuit alleging breach of fiduciary duty, professional negligence, and fraud against sub-brokers arising out of a failure to procure insurance coverage. Aggressively negotiated a seven-figure settlement against two sub-brokers and secured a seven-figure restitution in favor of the client in vigorously contested restitution proceedings.

Credentials

Bar & Court Admissions
  • Illinois
  • Wisconsin
  • Supreme Court of Illinois
  • Supreme Court of Wisconsin
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth and Seventh Circuits
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Western and Eastern Districts of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Professional Affiliations
  • Chicago Bar Association, Judicial  Evaluation Committee (Former Legislative Liaison and Chair of Commercial Litigation Committee)
Community Involvement
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities
Education
  • DePaul University College of Law, J.D.
  • Truman State University, B.S.
Recognition
  • Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine (2021-2025)
  • Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers, (2015-2019)
  • Illinois “Emerging Lawyer,” The Leading Lawyers Network

Insights & News
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Headlines / January 21, 2025

Congratulations, Bryan!

Publications / February 8, 2022

Preparing for an Audit After PPP Loans