Michael H. Johnson

Michael Johnson is a shareholder in Baker Donelson’s Birmingham office. Mr. Johnson counsels domestic and international public and private entities in areas including cross-border transactions, foreign direct investment, international trade and market entry, and commercial and corporate law. He works with clients in advanced manufacturing industries, with a specific focus on automotive, aerospace, heavy manufacturing and technology.

Mr. Johnson is a member of the Global Business and Commercial Transactions teams, and has extensive experience in trade and investment projects in Europe, Latin America and Africa.

He is the North American corporate counsel for several European, Latin American and Asian entities in diverse manufacturing and service industries, and is corporate counsel for several U.S.-based exporters. His work for these companies includes corporate compliance, including anti-corruption and due diligence. He is fluent in French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian and Catalan.

Mr. Johnson also worked for FIFA (the international governing body of football [soccer], based in Zurich, Switzerland) as a FIFA Media Officer in charge of venue media operations for the FIFA World Cup France (1998), Sydney Olympics (2000), FIFA Confederations Cup Korea – Japan (2001), FIFA World Cup Korea – Japan (2002), FIFA Women’s World Cup USA (Head Media Officer, 2003), FIFA Confederations Cup Germany (2005), FIFA World Cup Germany (2006), FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada (2007) and the FIFA World Cup South Africa (2010).

Mr. Johnson has served as Honorary Consul of Germany in Alabama since 2011. He was previously Honorary Consul of Brazil for Alabama from 1995 – 2010.

EDUCATION:

• University of Miami, J.D., 1992
• University of Alabama, M.A., Romance Languages, 1989
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 1988
• Samford University, B.A., International Relations and Spanish, 1987
• Pantheon-Sorbonne University (Universite de Paris I), 1986

ADMISSIONS:

• Alabama, 1992
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
• U.S. Bankruptcy Courts

Representative Matters:

• Consultant to the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Brazilian Ministry of Planning, Management and Budget, Geneva-based United Nations Conference on Trade and Development for economic development training, and the Ministry of Export, Innovation and Economic Development of Quebec.
• Advised national-level food processor on multi-state site selection process for plant location.
• Advised large food processor on plant expansion projects in Louisiana and North Carolina, including state and local incentives negotiation, transportation analysis and infrastructure financing.
• Led acquisition of Brazilian entity for multinational technology company.
• Led acquisition of German medical technology company for U.S.-based technology fund.
• Advised Italian manufacturer on acquisition of U.S.-based plant facility.
• Advised U.S. company on purchase of UK-based manufacturing company.
• U.S. legal counsel for startup operations for European manufacturers.

Professional Honors & Activities:

• Alabama State Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Economic Development Association of Alabama
• Birmingham Bar Association
• Birmingham Rotary Club
• Honorary Consul of Germany for Alabama (2011 – present)