Kelly S. Johnson
Partner
Experience
Kelly S. Johnson has more than 20 years of legal experience in complex litigation, coverage, and claims handling. She has served as litigation counsel and general counsel on behalf of a variety of major clients, including insurers, representing them in all stages of federal and state court on a wide variety of complex civil, commercial, security, insolvency, contract, coverage, toxic tort, environmental coverage, and employment matters. She regularly provides business risk analysis and sound business solutions to help clients minimize costs while reducing the risk of exposure and liability. In recent years, she has narrowed her legal focus on Directors and Officers as well as Cyber Security and Technology Errors and Omissions litigation.
Kelly’s years of experience as in-house counsel for a major insurance carrier have given her a unique appreciation of the challenges her clients encounter on a regular basis. In that role, she provided strategic direction and oversight for the Claims department, led a team of claims professionals handling first- and third-party cyber security and technology errors and omissions claims, and handled high-value claims including directors and officers, employment practices liability, and fiduciary liability matters on the executive risk and professional liability lines of business.
Related Areas
Industries
Background
Admissions
- Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Education
- The University of Georgia School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2000
- Georgia Law Review: Executive Board Member
- Emory University, B.A., 1995
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section: Insurance Committee, 2018 to present
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, 2017 to present
- Professional Liability Underwriting Society, 2017 to present
- Atlanta Bar Association, 2016 to present
- Solo Practice and Small Firm Section: Board Member, 2016-17
- Georgia Bar Association, 2000 to present
- Net Diligence Cyber Claims Advisory Group, 2019-21
- Cobb County Bar Association
- Women in the Bar Section: Board Member, 2015-18
Community Involvement
- Smyrna Little League: Board of Directors and T-ball/Peewee Commissioner, 2021 to present
News & Knowledge
Publications & Events
- Quoted in “How — and why — to add cybersecurity provisions to construction contracts,” Construction Dive, July 30, 2024
- “BIPA, Meta Pixel Suits Could Reshape Cybersecurity Litigation,” (Co-Author), Law360, July 21, 2023
- “D&O Claim Trends for 2018,” The D&O Diary, January 2019
- “Not Enough? Claims Involving Multiple Claimants or Multiple Insureds and Insufficient Policy Limits,” Client Presentation, August 20, 2024
- “Coverage Analysis: Beyond the Reservation of Rights,” Claims and Litigation Management Annual Conference, March 31, 2023
- “Telemedicine’s Liability, Privacy, and Cyber Coverage Concerns,” Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, August 2020
- “We Know You Have Cyber Insurance,” International Association of Claims Professionals, May 2020
- “Managing Employment Claims in the Age of Social Media,” Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Symposium, October 2019
- “Employment Practices Liability Insurance,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society University, August 2019
- “Business Bankruptcy Basics for Claims and Underwriting Professionals,” Hiscox Inc., July 2019
- “D&O Claim Trends,” Director and Officers Insurance Executive Summit, May 2019
- “D&O Claim Trends for 2018,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society, December 2018
- “Litigation Management,” Claims and Litigation Management Midwest Conference, July 2018