Brian Johnston - Chapel Hill Family Lawyer Reviews & Ratings

Brian Johnston Bio
Brian is a founding member of Chapel Hill Family Law and has exclusively practiced family law in Orange, Chatham, and Durham Counties for more than ten years.  Brian has successfully represented hundreds of clients in all manner of family law matters, including particularly challenging cases involving high net worth individuals, business valuations, domestic violence, high-conflict parties, mental illness, infidelity, substance abuse, individuals with substantial separate estates, and parents with special-needs children.. Brian graduated with Honors from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.  His move south began when he started law school at The George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC, which is consistently ranked as one of the top-20 law schools in the country.  Brian began his legal career practicing civil litigation with a well-known law firm in suburban Maryland just outside of Washington, DC.  Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Brian represented victims of the attacks through the Trial Lawyers Care pro bono program.  Brian then transitioned to the practice of family law with one of the top Washington, DC-area family law firms.  In 2005, Brian moved with his wife to Chapel Hill to follow her dream of working for her alma mater.  Upon obtaining his North Carolina law license, Brian continued his career in family law, working at Lewis & Anderson, a renowned Chapel Hill family law firm, for nine years until the firm’s principal, Susan Lewis, retired from the full-time practice of family law.  In 2014, Brian founded Chapel Hill Family Law with his colleague, Chellie Joines, to continue the tradition of excellence maintained by Lewis & Anderson.. Brian is a native Pennsylvanian who was born into a family now full of lawyers.  His father has practiced law in Pennsylvania for more than forty-four years, and two of Brian’s three siblings are also lawyers.  Brian lives in Chapel Hill with his wife, also a lawyer; his young son; and their often uncooperative and always enormous Newfoundland, Ernie.  Brian enjoys spending time with his family, travel, and just about anything involving water.  Brian has been highly involved with his son’s preschool, including serving on its Board of Directors as Chairman of the Board.