Continental Who's Who

David R. Johanson

David R. Johanson is recognized by Continental Who’s Who among Pinnacle Professionals in the legal field. He is Partner-in-Charge of the Napa office of Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young, LLP and also has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York to cover his national client base. David has worked in the legal field for over 30 years and is admitted to practice in California, Maryland, New York, Texas, Minnesota and the District of Columbia. In his current position, David and his team assist clients in general corporate matters and in employee ownership, benefit, ERISA, and related business matters, with an emphasis on executive compensation, equity incentive plans, non-qualified deferred compensation, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), ESOP transactions, mergers and acquisitions (and related tax planning), business succession and estate planning. Additional job duties include appearing on behalf of clients in business and employment-oriented defense litigation in state and federal courts throughout the country, before regulatory agencies (e.g., U.S. Department of Labor, California Labor Commissioner, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), in tax controversies before the Internal Revenue Service and comparable state regulatory agencies, and in dispute resolutions of various kinds. David is a member of the Southern California Mediation Association and a frequent Lecturer for the University of Southern California Mediation Clinic.

He has also actively served as a Temporary Judge on a pro bono basis for the Los Angeles County Superior Courts since October of 2009. Recognized nationally for his experience and expertise in the ESOP and executive compensation field, David is a past chair (1993-1995 and 2005-2007) of the legislative and regulatory advisory committee of The ESOP Association. He also is a past chair of The ESOP Association’s advisory committee chairs council and is a former member of its board of directors. David has also served for more than ten years as General Counsel to The National Center for Employee Ownership and on its board of directors. A graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, David graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Accounting. He then went on to complete his Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School. Over the last half century, HPTY has grown to include more than 150 lawyers in nine offices located in Atlanta, Austin, Charleston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Napa, New York, St. Louis and San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.hptylaw.com.