Dawn M. Johnson

Dawn thrives on being responsive to, and getting to know, her clients and their businesses so she can help them find the best and most practical business solution when faced with legal disputes. Her exceptional client service was recognized when she was awarded the 2024 Client Choice Award winner for franchise in Missouri, and she was also named Franchise Lawyer of the Year for Missouri for two consecutive years. 

As Co-Group Leader of the UB Greensfelder’s Franchise & Distribution Industry, Dawn heads a team of litigation and transactional attorneys who represent clients nationally and internationally, from start-ups to some of the largest and most recognized brands. Dawn’s practice focuses on all aspects of the franchise relationship, including termination and non-renewal, claims under state and federal relationship laws such as disclosure and fraud claims, and other claims that are common in these relationship disputes, such as breach of contract, fraud, tortious interference, deceptive trade practices, unlawful pricing, trademark infringement, unfair competition, violation of restrictive covenants, and indemnification claims.

She represents franchisors in state and federal courts across the country, and in mediation and arbitration as franchisors increasingly use alternative dispute resolution methods. Dawn’s practice includes other distribution models, including those with industry-specific laws, such as downstream petroleum marketing. Her deep experience in franchising and distribution also allows her to serve as background counsel on certain matters, providing a second opinion for businesses dealing with complex legal issues.

In addition to her work on behalf of franchisors and distributors, Dawn handles a range of general business disputes.

Dawn has significant appellate experience. She has argued before the Missouri Supreme Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern and Western Districts, the Illinois Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Her appellate practice allows her to use her extensive professional writing background.

Before attending law school, Dawn was an award-winning reporter for the Herald & Review daily newspaper in Decatur, Illinois. After law school, she continued her writing experience as a law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge David D. Noce in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri from 1993 to 1997. Dawn’s journalism degree and prior career in journalism have served as a solid foundation for her legal career. Outside of work, she is a fitness enthusiast, and she enjoys weight lifting, running, and Pilates.