Joseph C. Johnston
Joe Johnston was born in Waterloo, Iowa in 1938. He graduated from High School in 1957 and entered the military. After several years in business, he resumed his education in 1963 at the University of Iowa.
While working full time as the head of accounting for a University department, Mr. Johnston received his Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in accounting in 1966. In addition to the accounting position, Mr. Johnston taught a graduate course in School Law at the University of Iowa while attending Law School. There Mr. Johnston received his JD degree in 1968 from the University of Iowa Law School.
That same year Mr. Johnston was elected to the Iowa Legislature where he served two terms as a State Representative from Johnston County. At the same time Mr. Johnston built an active trial practice which continues. In 1984 Mr. Johnston was his party nominee for the U.S. Congress bus was defeated by the incumbent.
Mr. Johnston has had a long involvement with legal applications of the computer. In the late 70's he was the principal designer and programmer of much of an early law office accounting system. That system was used by more than 1,000 law firms. IBM featured Mr. Johnston at over 200 seminars for lawyers on the use of computers in law firms. Mr. Johnston also spoke at hundreds of other seminars on the same subject. His interest and involvement in the computer industry continues.
Mr. Johnston's law practice has concentrated primarily in the areas of Trial Practice, Personal Injury and Business Law. Business Litigation is a major part of his practice.
Personally Mr. Johnston is involved in real estate development and managing his property. He has five children and maintains and avid interest and participation in the game of basketball.
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Civil Litigation
- Corporation & Business
Litigation Percentage
- 80% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Certified Legal Specialties
- Personal Injury & Trial Practice
- Business & Corporations
Bar Admissions
- Iowa, 1968
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Iowa, 1968
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa, 1968
- U.S. Federal Courts, 1968
- U.S. Tax Court, 1985
Education
- University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa
- J.D. - 1968
- University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- B.B.A., Bachelor of Business Administration - 1964
- Major: Accounting
Classes/Seminars
- Computers & Law, IBM, 1980 - 1983
- Computers & Law, Various Bar Association & Companies, 1980 - 1985
- Ethics, Johnson County Bar, 1996
Honors and Awards
- Coach of the Year, Basketball, 1987
Past Employment Positions
- State Legislature, State Representative, 1968 - 1972
Fraternities/Sororities
- Phi Alpha Delta

