Honors and Awards
Named a 2023 American Bar Foundation Fellow
Named on the 2021 Legal Eagles list for the FranchiseTimes Legal Eagles
Chair’s Award for Substantial Written Work or Presentation from the American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising, 2016
Rising Scholar Writing Competition Award from the American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising, 2013
Franchise Lawyer Erin Conway Johnsen
Erin Johnsen focuses her practice on assisting franchisees and dealers resolve their disputes with franchisors and advising breweries and other small business clients. Erin has assisted franchisees in all stages of their franchise relationships, including reviewing franchise agreements and franchise disclosure documents for prospective franchisees, drafting franchise agreement addenda, negotiating agreement changes with franchisors, and helping franchisees exit their franchise relationships as smoothly as possible.
Alcohol and Small Business Lawyer
Erin Johnsen works with alcohol industry clients and other small business clients to form, build, and grow their businesses. Erin regularly assists her small business clients in matter such as forming LLCs, seeking protection for valuable trademarks, negotiating leases, advising on business expansion plans, streamlining licensing matters, and navigating business purchases and sales.
Impressive Accolades
Erin serves on the governing committee for the ABA Forum on Franchising, co-chaired the Forum’s 2024 annual meeting, and was the editor-in-chief of The Franchise Lawyer from 2020-2023 after spending four years as associate editor. Erin has been named as a Franchise Times Legal Eagle, and in 2023 was selected to become a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF), a membership that is limited to one percent of attorneys in each state. More recently, Erin was honored as one of Minnesota Monthly’s 2024 Top Lawyers in Minnesota.
More About Erin
Erin is a 2012 cum laude graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School, where she served as an editor of the Minnesota Law Review. She did her undergraduate work at Duke University, where she was honored on the Dean’s List.
Erin volunteers her free time with Camp Kesem Minnesota, a non-profit organization helping families affected by cancer. She lives in St. Paul with her husband and two sons, with whom she enjoys biking and cross-country skiing.
Additional Qualifications
Learn more about Erin Johnsen’s legal experience and expertise by viewing her educational background, publications, and more.
Minnesota
University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
J.D. cum laude – 2012
Honors: Recipient of the Dean’s Distinguished Scholarship
Honors: Robina Public Policy Fellowship
Honors: Montreville J. Brown Scholarship
Law Review: Minnesota Law Review, Online Managing Editor
Duke University
B.A.
Honors: Dean’s List
Andersen v. Griswold, 2015 WL 10739349 (N.D. Cal. 2015)(Franchisor’s CEO had to answer in federal court for fraud claims).
Janko Enterprises, Inc. v. Long John Silver’s, Inc., 2014 WL 11152378 (W.D. Ky. Apr. 3, 2014)(compelling Yum! Brands to produce all information tracking the performance of the Long John Silver’s brand leading up to a decision to divest the brand).
Lynch v. Math-U-See, Inc., 2013 WL 796531 (N.D. Ind. 2013)(upholding complaint for wrongful termination and breach of fiduciary duty)
National Business Institute CLE, Alcoholic Beverage Law, Licensing and Permitting In the Alcoholic Beverage Industry, October 2019
Co-presenter, Current Events: Modernizing Your Franchise Documents to Address Recent Developments That Affect Franchise Systems, with Sawan Patel, webinar CLE for ABA Forum on Franchising
American Bar Association
American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising
- Governing Committee Member, 2024-present
- Co-chair, Forum on Franchising Annual Meeting, 2024
- Editor-in-Chief, The Franchise Lawyer, 2020 to 2023
- Associate Editor, The Franchise Lawyer, 2016 to 2020
American Bar Foundation, Fellow
Get ‘Em Out of There: The Effective Use of Early Dispositive Motions, with Matthew S. DeAntonio, 45th Annual Forum on Franchising, 2022
I Would Love To But I Can’t: Examining the Status and Future for Force Majeure, Impossibility, Impracticability, Frustration of Purpose, and Other Defenses to Performance, with Ari N. Stern and John P. Jett, 44th Annual Forum on Franchising, 2021
Conditional Renewals: A Response from the Franchisee Perspective, The Franchise Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 02
Noncompete Enforcement Today: Slam Dunk or Red Zone Problem?, with Michael R. Gray, 42nd Annual Forum on Franchising, 2019
Playing by the Rules: Legal Matters Concerning Craft Breweries in WI & MN, with Elliot Ginsburg and Jeffrey Glazer, Midwest Craft Brewers Conference, 2016
Co-author, Surviving the Tempest: Franchisees in the Brave New World of Joint Employers and $15 Now, with Caroline Fichter, Franchise Law Journal, Vol. 35, No. 4, Spring 2016
Cider: What the Fed?, with Elliot Ginsburg, Minnesota Grape Growers Association Cold Climate Conference, 2016
Beneath the Surface: Three Areas New Brewers Need to Approach with Caution, with Elliot Ginsburg and Evan Sallee, Midwest Craft Brewers Conference, 2015
“No Fair! Finding an Equitable Balance in Enforcement of Disclaimer Provisions in Franchise Agreements and Franchise Disclosure Documents”, Franchise Law Journal, Winter, 2014
Co-author, Minnesota Brewpub Distribution, with Elliot Ginsburg, Minnesota Beer, July, 2013
Erin Conway Johnsen helped guide us through a challenging situation with a newer franchise. She was patient with us, listened to our issues and was able to provide work that leveled the playing field with the franchisor. I would HIGHLY suggest her and her team for any challenging franchise situation.
-Paul Rakovich
I was struggling with the Franchisor on a number of fronts in the attempt to find a compromise that would eliminate my pain and very shortly it became apparent that I was in over my head. My search for support ended with Garner & Ginsberg, my attorney was Erin Conway Johnsen. Erin’s uptake and understanding of my situation was smooth and almost easy. She was able to offer a range of solutions and the provide the background to make a selection simple. Erin negotiated a position that was much stronger than one I was resigned I would have to accept and she stayed with me through to the bitter end. Words don’t do justice to the feeling I was left with when it was over, and certainly not enough to express my thanks to Erin. To those of you in need, try her. It will be the best decision you will have made in a very long time.
-Mark Kastilahn
Effective and efficient! My experience with G&G Franchise Attorneys was great. Erin Conway Johnsen carefully guided us through the process and ultimately our issues were resolved to our liking. Highly recommend!
-Starr Barre
