William P. Johnson, J.D.
Dean; Professor
Center for International and Comparative Law
Courses Taught
Commercial Transactions, International Business Transactions, International Law, International Sale of Goods, Secured Transactions, Seminar: Advanced International Business Transactions, Doing Business in Emerging Markets
Education
Practice Areas
- Commercial Transactions
- Contracts
- International Business Transactions
- International Law
- International Product Distribution
- UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG)
- Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
Research Interests
Johnson’s scholarship is generally focused on commercial law and international business law. In particular, Johnson identifies, researches and writes about the distinctive challenges and issues that arise due to international aspects of cross-border business relationships. He has written extensively about the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and has published his work on the CISG in the United States, Turkey, and Brazil.
Publications and Media Placements
Professional Organizations and Associations
Johnson has remained engaged with the law practice community through active involvement in the American Bar Association (ABA) and has held several leadership positions in the ABA International Law Section. He served for two years as a member of the Section Council as the chair of the Africa/Eurasia Division. He has held leadership roles in several Section committees, including the International Commercial Transactions, Franchising and Distribution Committee, the International Legal Education and Specialist Certification Committee, the International Ethics Committee, and the Latin America & Caribbean Committee. He currently serves as co-chair for the International Contracts Committee.
Community Work and Service
William P. Johnson was appointed dean of SLU LAW in January 2017. He previously served as Director for the Center for International and Comparative Law and as the Program Director for the SLU LAW Summer Law Program in Madrid. He joined the SLU LAW faculty in 2012 after holding an appointment on the law faculty of the University of North Dakota. He has also been a visiting professor at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany, the Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France, and Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, and has been a guest lecturer at Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest, Hungary. Prior to becoming a law professor, Johnson practiced corporate and commercial law for six years in the Milwaukee office of Foley & Lardner LLP. He focused his practice on complex commercial arrangements, cross-border business transactions, and international product distribution. Prior to joining Foley & Lardner, Johnson served as a judicial law clerk to Justice Russell A. Anderson of the Minnesota Supreme Court.