Admissions

  • Ohio, 2012
    Georgia, 2001
  • U.S. District Courts:
      -Northern District of Ohio
      -Eastern District of Michigan
      -Western District of Michigan
      -Northern District of Georgia

Education

University of Toledo, J.D., 2001

Miami University, B.A., 1997

Profile

“Protecting your brands is the heart of my practice.” 

For over 20 years Carrie A. Johnson has helped clients protect and defend their most important assets and brands.  Her practice concentrates in the areas of trademark, unfair competition, advertising and copyright law, with an emphasis on international and domestic portfolio management.  Ms. Johnson also has extensive experience in trademark and copyright enforcement via arbitration, federal courts and proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, as well as negotiating and arbitrating domain name disputes under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. 

She has represented clients in various industries such as: 

  • Building materials
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Apparel
  • Footwear
  • Entertainment
  • Communications
  • Cosmetics
  • Franchising
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Cannabis and hemp

Having an extensive background in infringement litigation gives Ms. Johnson an edge when counseling clients in trademark clearance matters.

Balancing the cost and effort to protect an asset in relationship to its value is one of the recommendations Ms. Johnson will make as clients may not wish to spend more on an asset than it may be worth.  This includes whether litigating infringement makes financial sense.

Ms. Johnson embarks on educational efforts through speaking engagements.  Those who own intellectual property are better able to protect it when they understand what avenues are available to them and issues that may arise.

As a member of Eastman & Smith, Ms. Johnson takes on managerial roles.  She currently is the chair of the Firm's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Before joining the Firm, Ms. Johnson worked for several law firms that specialized in intellectual property law.  Ms. Johnson earned her law degree from the University of Toledo as well as an undergraduate degree from Miami University.

She and her husband reside in Sylvania with their two children.  Ms. Johnson enjoys spending time with her family, SCUBA diving and wake boarding.