ABOUT SCOTT JOHNSON
My name is Scott Johnson. I've been practicing law in Atlanta for over 15 years. I've practiced both in the law firm environment and as an in-house counsel. I've represented businesses throughout my career. My focus has been on helping businesses do what they do best and making sure they don't get sidetracked by legal issues.
After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2003, I started working at the firm of Franzen & Salzano, P.C. Franzen & Salzano is a boutique law firm, representing various consumer financial service providers, including banks, mortgage companies, credit card lenders, auto dealers, and collection agencies. For these clients, I handled litigation matters, provided compliance advice, drafted and negotiated various contracts, and handled employment matters.
In 2007, I began working as Assistant General Counsel for a large international financial services institution. In that role, I continued handling litigation matters, managing outside counsel and also handling cases myself. I answered customer complaints and worked with our state regulators to address any issues they discovered. I worked on compliance for all of our financial products in 22 states and the United Kingdom. I drafted and negotiated numerous leases both here in the US and the UK. I negotiated various contracts with vendors and service providers. I handled vehicle forfeiture and seizure matters, ensuring that our loan collateral was protected and retained. I handled employment matters of all kinds and helped draft the employee handbook used by over 1500 employees. I worked on employee complaints and employment discrimination claims. In short, I handled anything that popped up that day. I put out fires and herded cats. And sometimes the cats were even on fire.
In 2013, I saw a need for this type of work by small businesses. I opened my firm to help businesses succeed and learn how to navigate tricky legal matters. I want to help business owners who are passionate about their businesses. Small business and entrepreneurship is exciting for me, and I love helping those companies who are excited about what they are doing.
I realize that not every company has a legal department or the legal budget to pay the large firms the fees they charge. But every company does have legal issues. And that's where I come in. I want to use my skills and experience to help proactively minimize those issues before they pop up, and when they do pop up, handle them efficiently and aggressively. I've identified myself as Your General Counsel because that's how it should work. I'm ready to provide the legal skills that you would expect from the attorney you hire to work for your own company. I want you to be able to turn to me for guidance when you have legal problems. And I want you to let me help you prevent legal problems from ever arising. I want you to let me handle your flaming cats.
After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2003, I started working at the firm of Franzen & Salzano, P.C. Franzen & Salzano is a boutique law firm, representing various consumer financial service providers, including banks, mortgage companies, credit card lenders, auto dealers, and collection agencies. For these clients, I handled litigation matters, provided compliance advice, drafted and negotiated various contracts, and handled employment matters.
In 2007, I began working as Assistant General Counsel for a large international financial services institution. In that role, I continued handling litigation matters, managing outside counsel and also handling cases myself. I answered customer complaints and worked with our state regulators to address any issues they discovered. I worked on compliance for all of our financial products in 22 states and the United Kingdom. I drafted and negotiated numerous leases both here in the US and the UK. I negotiated various contracts with vendors and service providers. I handled vehicle forfeiture and seizure matters, ensuring that our loan collateral was protected and retained. I handled employment matters of all kinds and helped draft the employee handbook used by over 1500 employees. I worked on employee complaints and employment discrimination claims. In short, I handled anything that popped up that day. I put out fires and herded cats. And sometimes the cats were even on fire.
In 2013, I saw a need for this type of work by small businesses. I opened my firm to help businesses succeed and learn how to navigate tricky legal matters. I want to help business owners who are passionate about their businesses. Small business and entrepreneurship is exciting for me, and I love helping those companies who are excited about what they are doing.
I realize that not every company has a legal department or the legal budget to pay the large firms the fees they charge. But every company does have legal issues. And that's where I come in. I want to use my skills and experience to help proactively minimize those issues before they pop up, and when they do pop up, handle them efficiently and aggressively. I've identified myself as Your General Counsel because that's how it should work. I'm ready to provide the legal skills that you would expect from the attorney you hire to work for your own company. I want you to be able to turn to me for guidance when you have legal problems. And I want you to let me help you prevent legal problems from ever arising. I want you to let me handle your flaming cats.
EDUCATION
University of South Carolina School of Law, Columbia, South Carolina
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
ADMISSIONS
PUBLICATIONS
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Bar Association
Georgia Lawyers for the Arts - Volunteer Attorney
Atlanta Old White Rugby Football Club
University of South Carolina School of Law, Columbia, South Carolina
- Juris Doctor - 2003
- ABA Real Property Probate & Trust Journal - Production Editor
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
- Bachelor of Science, Biology - 1999
ADMISSIONS
- Georgia Bar
- Admitted to practice before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, and all Georgia state courts.
- Dual Citizen (United States and United Kingdom)
PUBLICATIONS
- Chapter 11, Credit Advertising And Related Matters, in Ralph J. Rohner & Fred H. Miller, TRUTH IN LENDING (ABA Sec. on Bus. Law, publication forthcoming).
- "Fair Credit Reporting Act Update" 65 BUS. LAW. 595 (February 2010)(coauthor).
- 2008, 2009 Supplement To Chapter 11, Credit Advertising And Related Matters, in Ralph J. Rohner & Fred H. Miller, TRUTH IN LENDING (ABA Sec. on Bus. Law, 2000).
- Chapter 11, Georgia - Compendium of State Certificate of Title Laws, American Bar Association 2009 (Alvin C. Harrell, Editor).
- "Fair Credit Reporting Act Update: Firm Offers, Willfulness, Adverse Action, And Receipt Truncation," 63 BUS. LAW. 677 (February 2008)(coauthor).
- Lorman Seminars - Seminar Materials - Coauthor, 2007 Employment Law Developments
- "Prescreened Offers - Useful But Are They Firm Offers Of Credit?," Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Report, 60:4, Winter 2006.
- "HOW TO: Use Caution When Using Prescreened Offers Of Credit," NHEMA Equity Update, March 6, 2006.
- 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Supplements To Chapter 4, Annual Percentage Rates, in Ralph J. Rohner & Fred H. Miller, TRUTH IN LENDING (ABA Sec. on Bus. Law, 2000).
- "Abandoned Motor Vehicle Recovery In Georgia," Independent Auto Dealer News, October 2005 (Volume 14, Issue 5).
- "The Junk Fax Protection Act Of 2005," NHEMA Equity Update, July 25, 2005
- "HOW TO: Navigating The Class Action Fairness Act Of 2005," NHEMA Equity Update, June 20, 2005.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Bar Association
- ABA Business Law Section
- ABA Consumer Financial Services Committee
- Consumer Law Section
Georgia Lawyers for the Arts - Volunteer Attorney
Atlanta Old White Rugby Football Club