San Diego attorney honored for pro bono work with nonprofit and entrepreneurial organizations

Erik T. Johnson was recognized by the California Lawyers Association with a Labor and Employment Law Pro Bono Achievement Award for his many hours of service to the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program's Microbusiness and Nonprofit Support Program, which provides free legal representation to low-income entrepreneurs and microbusinesses in San Diego County, as well as to nonprofit organizations serving low-income and disadvantaged San Diegans.

Johnson received the award in Costa Mesa at a dinner reception during the CLA's Labor and Employment Law Conference on Thursday.

Erik T. Johnson and Nicole Heeder

"The San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, among other things, pairs clients with a pro bono need with attorneys in San Diego who have time, willingness and expertise to influence," Johnson said.

Johnson has helped nonprofit organizations with vital services such as housing, food security, and education, and has assisted low-income entrepreneurs with their employment law questions. He has also counseled business owners about how to reduce litigation risks through policy changes, updated employee handbooks, and advised how best to pursue workplace investigations, employment agreements, and other matters.

Johnson, who has volunteered at the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program for about nine years, is also senior counsel at Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP, where he is a member of the firm's Employment Law and Class Action practice groups. He also contributes to pro bono work at the firm, where he recently collaborated with partner Daniel C. Gunning to assist an Afghan couple in successfully obtaining asylum.

"I always want to have an open pro-bono matter, in some way, shape, or form," Johnson said.

Johnson additionally volunteers his legal services at Safety Town of Santa Barbara County, a non-profit organization that teaches elementary school children essential safety skills such as how to cross a street and avoid strangers.

Prior to his career as an attorney, Johnson taught at an elementary public school in Harlem through the New York City Teaching Fellows program.

"That started my path to law school story," Johnson said. "It was a great school in a pretty tough neighborhood with a lot of public housing around it."

Johnson said that he appreciated the dedication of the principal, teachers and staff at Arthur Tappan, where he taught bilingual education for several years, but was frustrated by inequities in resource access.

"It just really dawned on me that the school didn't have all the resources that it needed to handle the needs of all of its students," he said. "About the same time, I learned about a lawsuit that was working its way through the New York State court system, and the gist of that lawsuit was the state shortchanged some of the New York City schools - suburban and rural districts were treated more favorably."

Johnson said the case was filed by attorneys who worked pro bono, which inspired him to leave teaching in the early 2000s and enroll in law school, where he earned his Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law.

"That's where this light went on that the law can be used to make bigger changes than I felt like I could make in my classroom on a day-by-day basis," Johnson said.