Partner
Managing Partner of Northern California
Edward D. Johnson
Antitrust & Competition, Commercial Litigation, Trademark Litigation
"A tremendous, positive, constructive force and a talented strategist."
Ward is "an accomplished litigator...." "[a]rticulate in the courtroom", "he is commended for his courtroom skills, with clients. . . praising his ability to 'distil technical concepts into an easily understandable form.'"
Ward has "the unique ability to get inside the other parties' strategy."
"Clients 'think very highly of' Ward who is highly sought for his expertise in litigation related to antitrust and technology matters." He "is regarded as a strong presence in the marketplace."
Overview
Ward Johnson regularly serves as lead counsel in complex commercial litigation. He is frequently consulted where technology, competition, and data privacy issues converge. Ward "has finely honed trial expertise as a result of his exposure to complex commercial, IP and antitrust cases." IAM 1000. Ward has "a great understanding of the business realities we face," and is "very good at identifying obstacles and solutions." Chambers USA. Ward litigates "with tactical wisdom and creativity; his storytelling abilities are on point regardless of subject matter, not least thanks to the variety of cases – commercial, antitrust and consumer class action lawsuits – he sees." IAM 1000. "His strategic skills when looking at the battle landscape are exceptional, and he brings creativity and out-of-the-box thinking to the table.'" IAM 1000.
Ward has served on Mayer Brown's worldwide Partnership Board and is Managing Partner of Mayer Brown's Northern California offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco.
Experience
- Lead counsel for major multinational technology companies in multiple class action litigations related to unfair competition, internet data privacy and internet advertising.
- Lead trial counsel for multinational technology companies in both federal district courts in the U.S. and international arbitrations (ICC, AAA, WIPO) relating to high stakes cross-border intellectual property, contract and patent licensing disputes.
- Eight figure jury verdict (after a six-week jury trial) for client in semiconductor manufacturing dispute.
Education
- Yale Law School, JD
Editor, Yale Law & Policy Review - University of Virginia, BA, with highest distinction
Robert K. Gooch Scholar
Admissions
- California
- New York
Courts
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- US Court of Federal Claims
- US District Court for the District of Nevada
- US District Court for the District of Utah
- US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- US District Court for the Central District of California
- US District Court for the Eastern District of California
- US District Court for the Northern District of California
- US District Court for the Southern District of California
- US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- US District Court for the Southern District of New York
- US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States Court of Federal Claims