Atty. Robert E. Johnston
Robert E. Johnston's practice focuses on trials and appeals of complex litigation matters, with an emphasis on defending pharmaceutical product liability litigation and on prosecuting insurance coverage disputes for corporate clients.
Class Action Defense & More Attorney · Serving Washington, DC · 32+ Years Experience
Profile Summary
About Robert E. Johnston at a Glance
Robert E. Johnston is a Partner based in Washington, District of Columbia, practicing at Hollingsworth LLP. They have 32+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1994. Their practice focuses on personal injury, class action, product liability, litigation, and insurance. Admitted to practice in Maryland (1994) and District of Columbia Montana United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, N (1995). Educated at George Washington University Law School (J.D., 1994) and Southern Methodist University (B.A. Southern, 1991). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Serves clients in Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Robert E. Johnston
- Robert E. Johnston's practice focuses on trials and appeals of complex litigation matters, with an emphasis on defending pharmaceutical product liability litigation and on prosecuting insurance coverage disputes for corporate clients
- In 2015, he was selected by Corporate America Legal Elite for Best in Product Liability Litigation-Washington, DC
- Mr. Johnston recently led a team that secured a complete defense verdict for firm clients Sotera Health and its subsidiary, Sterigenics, in a 28-day jury trial in the Circuit Court for Cook County, Illinois
- The case involved claims of injury from exposure to ethylene oxide emitted from a medical device sterilization facility Sterigenics previously operated in Willowbrook, Illinois
- He has also served as co-lead trial counsel in multiple pharmaceutical products liability trials, including Hogan v
- Novartis Pharm
- Corp., No. 1-06-CV-00260-BMC (E.D.N.Y. 2011), which resulted in a defense verdict for our client
- Mr. Johnston manages the defense of class action, consolidated, and serial litigations and represents clients in significant individual matters as well
- He has developed key liability defenses to sweeping allegations of corporate misconduct, and he has worked with experts and senior company employees to advance those defenses in depositions and at trial
- He defends depositions of corporate employees and has been involved in motions disputing the admissibility at trial of videotaped corporate depositions
- He prepared eight corporate witnesses to testify at trial in Meng v
- Novartis Pharm
- Corp., No. MID-L-7670-07-MT (N.J
- Super
- Ct
- Law Div
- May 15, 2013) in New Jersey, and in Davids v
- Novartis Pharm
- Corp., No. 06-CV-431 (E.D.N.Y.2012) in New York federal court (where he served as co-lead trial counsel)
- Mr. Johnston has developed and presented the testimony of scientific experts and cross-examined plaintiffs’ experts both at deposition and trial
- In support of his work developing liability defenses, he is co-leader of the Firm’s E-Discovery group
- He has experience implementing court-approved document review strategies and stays current on developments regarding Technology Assisted Review and other emerging document review protocols
- He has supervised productions numbering in the tens of millions of pages of documents and regularly counsels clients regarding E-Discovery issues
- He is a member of The Sedona Conference
- Mr. Johnston successfully defended class action claims and handled the nationwide defense of matters coordinated in one of the longest-standing multidistrict litigations in the United States, In re Aredia® and Zometa® Products Liability Litigation
- He has written and spoken on the defense of class action claims and spoken on issues regarding the defense of claims in multidistrict litigation
- Mr. Johnston has prevailed on summary judgment in numerous cases, including cases from the Aredia®/Zometa® litigation involving issues of warnings (proximate) causation, the inapplicability of cross-jurisdictional class-action tolling, the applicability of punitive damages limitations, and other topics of interest to medical products liability defense
- He has participated in appeals of trial verdicts and summary judgments, including oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- Mr. Johnston represents clients in both state and federal courts in actions seeking insurance coverage for environmental liabilities, asbestos-related claims, defamation, errors and omissions by insurance agents, and various other business torts
- As co-leader of the Firm’s insurance coverage practice, he obtained a significant recovery for insulation-installer Porter Hayden Company in its decade-long litigation with AIG over asbestos-related bodily injury claims
- He also consults with clients regarding the pursuit of insurance proceeds under solvent and insolvent schemes of arrangement
- He has written and spoken on numerous issues relevant to insurance coverage, including issues of fidelity insurance and specialty coverages available for e-commerce enterprises
- Mr. Johnston has pursued litigation in connection with government contracts, including procurement-related claims, Winstar-related claims, and claims for the taking of property by the government without just compensation
- He assisted nuclear power utilities in a successful trial before the Court of Federal Claims regarding the federal government’s breach of its contractual obligations to begin removing spent nuclear fuel from power plants by 1998
- He has significant experience representing clients in commercial business disputes, including suits arising out of the telecommunications and e-commerce industries. He has written and spoken on issues related to the federal False Claims Act, particularly its qui tam provisions
- In law school, he served as a member of The George Washington Law Review, where his note on qui tam issues was published
- Mr. Johnston is a member of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel (NARTC) and has served on the faculty at NARTC’s College of Railroad Trial advocacy – an intensive six-day trial techniques course for thirty young trial attorneys
- He has spoken before the NARTC on the impact of no-recourse litigation funding for plaintiffs and their counsel
- Mr. Johnston is recognized in the 2023 Washington, DC edition of Super Lawyers for Civil Litigation-Defense, and is named as an AV Preeminent Attorney and Top Rated Litigator by Martindale-Hubbell™
- He is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, which recognizes excellence among U.S. litigation and trial counsel
- He is a long-standing member of the Defense Research Institute
- Publications Firm Contributes Chapter on Opioid Litigation and Daubert to Karch’s Drug Abuse Handbook, Third Edition Eric Lasker, Robert Johnston, Tamara Barago, and Kathryn Jensen, Authors
- Messrs
- Lasker and Johnston also served as Section Editors on this compendium long considered the quintessential text addressing the pharmacological, medical, and legal aspects of drugs, and informing the forensic community of the latest scientific advances and emergent practices
- Another Victory for Reliable Science Gregory S. Chernack, Robert E. Johnston, and Anna G. Kornilova for DRI's Daubert Online New Jersey: Now the Product-Liability Defendant's Playground?
- By Joe G. Hollingsworth and Robert E. Johnston, for Washington Legal Foundation
- Nestle Takes Shelter in Its Supply Chain Safe Harbor — Robert Johnston and John Kalas for DRI's Product Liability Committee Newsletter Effective Tactics for Opposing Certification from Recent Food Labeling Class Actions For WLF Legal Backgrounder, by Firm partner Robert Johnston. "Coverage For Claims Involving Allegations of Conspiracy," by Robert E. Johnston for Insurance Coverage Law Bulletin. "Inferring Dishonesty: The Fifth Amendment and Fidelity Coverage," by Robert E. Johnston for Insurance Coverage Law Bulletin
- Coverage For Claims Involving Allegations of Conspiracy Insurance Coverage Law Bulletin (December 2004) (Robert E. Johnston) Internet Domain-Name Suit is Covered Advertising Injury Insurance Coverage Law Bulletin (October 2003) (Robert E. Johnston)
Practice Areas Explained
Robert E. Johnston's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Robert E. Johnston handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in Washington.
Personal Injury in Washington
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Robert E. Johnston is one of 262,557 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in District of Columbia →
Class Action in Washington
Robert E. Johnston is one of 26,226 class action attorneys indexed nationally. Browse class action attorneys in District of Columbia →
Product Liability in Washington
Robert E. Johnston is one of 65,610 product liability attorneys indexed nationally. Browse product liability attorneys in District of Columbia →
Civil Litigation in Washington
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Robert E. Johnston is one of 450,751 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in District of Columbia →
Insurance Law in Washington
Insurance attorneys for coverage disputes, bad faith claims, denied claims, and policy disputes.
Robert E. Johnston is one of 120,903 insurance attorneys indexed nationally. Browse insurance attorneys in District of Columbia →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in Washington
Practicing law in District of Columbia. Legal matters in District of Columbia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Washington are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate District of Columbia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in District of Columbia brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in District of Columbia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Washington Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a Washington-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
Looking for additional District of Columbia attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Washington or all attorneys in District of Columbia.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in Washington Choose Robert E. Johnston
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish Robert E. Johnston's practice in the field of personal injury, class action, product liability, litigation, and insurance.
Decade-Tested Legal Experience
Robert E. Johnston brings 32+ years of hands-on legal practice — enough to have navigated the recurring fact patterns, procedural traps, and negotiation dynamics that shape case outcomes.
Multi-State Bar Admission
Licensed in Maryland and District of Columbia Montana United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, N, Robert E. Johnston can represent clients in cases that span state lines or require counsel in multiple jurisdictions.
Broad Practice Area Coverage
Covering personal injury, class action, and product liability, Robert E. Johnston can address the full spectrum of a client's legal needs without requiring referrals to separate specialists for each issue.
Local Presence in Washington
A Washington-based practice means Robert E. Johnston attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
Case Types
Common Legal Issues Robert E. Johnston Handles in Washington
Below is a representative sample of the types of matters Robert E. Johnston has experience with under District of Columbia law. If your situation involves one of these case categories, this attorney may be well positioned to help you understand your options.
This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Contact Robert E. Johnston directly to discuss the specifics of your situation.
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How People Find Robert E. Johnston Online
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Robert E. Johnston's Practice Areas & Specializations
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