Overview
Angela Johnson advises and defends employers in and outside of the courtroom. Seeking practical solutions, Angela collaborates with employers to achieve compliance with state and federal employment laws and develops creative litigation strategies. She works with a variety of employers across industries, including automotive and recreational vehicle manufacturers, as well as finance and healthcare institutions.
Employment Law Compliance
Angela is passionate about employment law and helping employers stay on top of the latest developments affecting their workforce. Employers look to Angela for guidance on compliance with federal, state and local laws surrounding a variety of workplace issues including:
- Guiding employers through disability accommodations and leaves of absence.
- Planning for and executing workforce restructurings, including risk mitigation and compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.
- Advising on the use of workplace drug and alcohol testing, background checks and social media in making employment decisions.
- Developing and maintaining personnel policies and handbooks to comply with a patchwork of laws across multiple jurisdictions.
- Investigating allegations of wrongful conduct, discrimination or harassment.
- Training supervisors and human resources professionals on EEO compliance and proper procedures related to hiring, discipline and termination.
Angela enjoys sharing her knowledge with professional organizations and human resources groups, and regularly writes on a variety of employment topics. Additionally, she serves as a contributing editor of the "Age Discrimination in Employment Law" treatise published by Bloomberg Law.
Employment Litigation
Angela brings a depth of experience to defend employers in federal and state courts as well as administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Department of Labor (DOL), as well as state and local civil rights agencies.
Angela represents employers in cases involving allegations of:
- Discrimination
- Sexual harassment and hostile work environment
- Retaliation
- Wage and hour violations
- Breach of contract
At each stage of litigation, Angela develops effective strategies while remaining cost-conscious. When early resolution has not been possible, Angela has successfully dismissed lawsuits on summary judgment, including in cases alleging discrimination and retaliation.
Prior Experience
Angela draws upon nearly two decades of experience supporting clients as an attorney and in other law firm positions prior to attending law school. She served as a summer associate and a law clerk at legacy Faegre before becoming an associate.
Personal Interests
Angela has been a lifelong classic car enthusiast and motorsports participant. She also enjoys photographing wildlife in her free time.
Related Legal Services
Credentials
Bar Admissions
Indiana
Court Admissions
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Education
Notre Dame Law School
J.D. cum laude, Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy (executive articles editor) (2014)
Indiana University, South Bend
B.A. in Political Science, with high distinction (2011)
Insights & Events
Latest
Insights
Other Perspectives
- Background Checking Job Candidates? Stay in Compliance or Risk Employment Litigation
Author, HR Memo, Indiana Manufacturers Association, October 2018 - Opioid Crisis: Keeping the Workplace Drug-Free and ADA Compliant
Author, Indiana Employment Law Letter, May 2018 - Training Supervisors: "Why Contact HR?" and "Difficult Conversations"
Kosciusko Human Resources Association Annual Conference, April 2018
- 7th Circuit: Psych Exam Following Bizarre Behavior Was Reasonable
Author, Indiana Employment Law Letter, March 2018 - The Americans With Disabilities Act
Hoosier Owners Products for the Elderly (HOPE) Long-Term Care Administrators Course, Indianapolis, March 2018 - DOJ Reverses Course on Title VII Protections for Transgender Persons
Author, Indiana Employment Law Letter, January 2018 - Social Media: Know the Facts (From a Litigator's Perspective)
Leadership South Bend/Mishawaka, October 2016, January 2017, January 2018 - Age Discrimination in Employment Law
Chapter Editor, BNA Books, Cumulative Supplements and Third Edition, American Bar Association, 2016-18 - Don't Get Hung up On: Off-Duty Cell Phone Use and the FLSA
Author, Indiana Employment Law Letter, September 2017, and Technology for HR Blog, September 21, 2017 - Employment Discrimination
Chapter author, Indiana Employment Law Handbook, 12th edition, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, 2017 - 7th Circuit OK's Firing of Employee Who 'Self-Identifies' as African-American
Author, Indiana Employment Law Letter, May 2016, and HR.BLR.com, June 9, 2016 - 2015 EEOC Developments and What to Watch for in 2016
Co-presenter with Jennifer Bickley Hull, Michiana SHRM Chapter, Mishawaka, December 2015 - How the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act Affects Employers
Co-author with Martha Lemert, Indiana Employment Law Letter, Vol. 25, No. 5, May 2015 - "Ban-the-Box" Legislation Sweeps the Nation: What Indiana Employers Should Know
Author, Indiana Employment Law Letter, January 2015 - Intersectionality, Life Experiences and Judicial Decision-Making: A New View of Gender at the Supreme Court
Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy, Vol. 28, 2014
Firm Blog Contributions
- LaborSphere – a resource providing coverage and insights on breaking cases, recently enacted legislation and a broad range of labor issues
Leadership & Community
Pro Bono
- Volunteer Lawyer Network
- Court appointed to serve as pro bono counsel to prisoners alleging civil rights violations through the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
Professional Associations
- St. Joseph County Bar Association
- American Bar Association — Labor and Employment Section
Civic Activities
- St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce — Leadership South Bend/Mishawaka Class 41
- Indiana University South Bend Alumni Association – Board of Directors (2015-2021)
- Indiana University South Bend – Lecturer, Litigation for the Paralegal (2016-2020)
Honors
- Best Lawyers® — "Ones to Watch," Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2023-25
- Bureau of National Affairs Award for Excellence in Labor & Employment Law
- Faegre Drinker — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2020
- Faegre Baker Daniels — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2019
- Indiana University South Bend College of Liberal Arts & Sciences — Notable Alumnus Award, 2018
- St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce — Michiana Forty Under 40, 2017