Naomi D. Johnson

Overview

Employers rely upon Naomi Johnson to guide them through the wide variety of often ambiguous employment scenarios that can range from a legitimate accommodation request to a pretext for litigation or anything in between. Her practice centers on preventing litigation before it can begin, though she regularly defends employers in federal and state courts when disputes cannot be resolved. Clients value her ability to assess risk without catastrophizing and to offer solutions that account for business realities, not just legal theory.

Naomi's work spans the full spectrum of employment statutes—Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Defend Trade Secrets Act, along with all Oregon and Washington state equivalents. She represents employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, and the Washington State Human Rights Commission. Her litigation experience informs her counseling practice: she knows which agency complaints will escalate, and which employment decisions will invite scrutiny, allowing her to guide clients toward defensible outcomes.

Beyond responding to the challenges and problems associated with human resource management today, Naomi develops training programs for management teams—addressing harassment prevention, accommodation protocols, and wage and hour compliance in ways that resonate with non-lawyers. She also advises on restrictive covenants, helping employers protect proprietary information and client relationships without overreaching. Her approach to advisory solutions is pragmatic rather than alarmist, offering tailored strategies that reflect each client's industry, workforce composition, and tolerance for risk. Employers working with Naomi gain a partner who understands that employment law exists to support business operations, not obstruct it.

Honors & Speeches

Honors

• Best Lawyer, The Best Lawyers in America, 2020-2022, 2024-2026

Speeches

• Speaker, “The Biden Administration: Friend or Foe? Labor and Employment Law Changes under the New Administration and Their Impact on Employers,” Northwest Human Resource Management Association Conference Presentation, September 28, 2021
• Speaker, “Successful Hiring and Recruitment Steps, Mini Law School for HR Professionals,” NBI Seminar, November 13, 2020
• Speaker, “Returning to Work in the Time of COVID-19,” Oregon State Bar Labor & Employment Action Webinar, July 8, 2020
• Speaker, “Rolling Forward, Rolling Back: The Ever-Changing Legal Landscape for Employers,” Northwest Human Resource Management Association Conference Presentation, September 5, 2018

News

Professional

• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Labor and Employment Section Executive Committee, Oregon State Bar, 2025 to Present
• Member, Washington State Bar Association
• Member, Multnomah Bar Association
• Member, Oregon Women Lawyers
• Member, The Society for Human Resources Management
• Member, The Portland Human Resources Management Association
• Past Chair, Employment Practice Group, Oregon Association of Defense Counsel

Community

Naomi is a member of the Board of Directors of the Lake Oswego School Foundation.