About Johnjerica Hodge

Johnjerica Hodge helps her clients in a number of heavily regulated industries navigate difficult issues as they arise, whether in litigation or otherwise, and take the necessary steps to reduce the wide range of risk they confront. Johnjerica is an emerging leader in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) space, where she provides counsel to companies across industries on evaluating and incorporating ESG values into their internal and external operations and helps them address the myriad of white collar and compliance needs related to the ESG sector. In addition to teaching multiple law school courses on human capital management and the role of racial equity audits in the ESG movement, she holds several ESG certifications from institutions such as The Wharton School and University of California, Berkeley, and is co-authoring a book on ESG.

Business strategies for resolving risks

A core component of Johnjerica's practice is her deep experience in ESG. Leveraging her investigatory skills, she works with companies and institutions from a broad range of industries to identify areas of vulnerability and opportunity within the organization and its policies and procedures. She also assists companies facing ESG-related litigation risks and counsels organizations on the myriad of regulatory developments in the ESG sector and various ESG-related issues.

An adjunct professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, Johnjerica teaches "ESG: Racial Equity Audits." She taught a similar course at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School and is co-authoring a book on ESG.

Johnjerica also represents clients in internal and governmental investigations, corporate compliance and appellate litigation across industries. She focuses part of her practice on helping health care providers respond to investigations and related matters under the False Claims Act that involve allegations of fraudulent billing and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute.

Johnjerica was a member of the independent compliance monitor team appointed in connection with a significant, deferred prosecution agreement by a pharmaceutical company under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. She devotes a portion of her practice to corporate compliance and business ethics issues, and also has substantial experience in motion practice in state and federal courts.

Prior to joining Katten, Johnjerica served as a law clerk for the Honorable Carl E. Stewart of the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She served as a member of the Alabama Law Review during law school.

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Practice Focus

  • Appellate and Supreme Court litigation
  • Racial equity, civil rights and human rights audits
  • ESG and DEI compliance reviews and benchmarking
  • Health care investigations and enforcement
  • White collar and internal investigations
  • Compliance
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Representative Experience

  • ESG
  • Represented international company in litigation in multiple states concerning child labor and deforestation claims in its global supply chain.
  • Advised large social media company with assessing its risk of human trafficking and adjacent harms.
  • Counseled public company on modern slavery and human trafficking compliance.
  • Represented health care management company and its affiliates in creating ESG programs.
  • Advised global investment banking advisory firm on DEI efforts in light of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
  • Advised international companies in preparing comments on updates to the FTC’s Green Guides.
  • Evaluated potential impact of enacted and pending fair access legislation for a financial institution.
  • Advised on municipal social bond issuance.
  • Advised on M&A transaction involving a woman-owned business certification.
  • Counsel public company on ESG-related issues.
  • Government Investigations & Corporate Compliance
  • Conducted internal investigation into regulatory risks in the U.S. and abroad for multinational pharmaceutical company.
  • Performed FCPA analysis for global manufacturer.
  • Served on independent compliance monitor team for multinational pharmaceutical company convicted of violating the FCPA.
  • Represented multinational company relating to internal investigation in Vietnam.
  • Performed FCPA analysis for international shipping company.
  • Represent health care provider subject to government investigation for alleged violations of False Claims Act.
  • Counseled software company on compliance issues related to mergers and acquisitions.
  • Counseled company on FCPA risks from subcontractor’s operations in Latin America.
  • Represented health care provider in obtaining favorable settlement in FCA lawsuit arising from alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
  • Represented oil and gas exploration and production company in SEC enforcement action.
  • Advised oil and gas company on federal and state regulatory risks stemming from countrywide expansion of operations. *
  • Litigation and Arbitration
  • Represent contractor in sustainability-related litigation.
  • Represented global financial institution in litigation regarding breach of contract and breach of trust agreement.
  • Represented health care company and investors in litigation concerning corporate raiding and tortious interference claims.
  • Represented multinational oil and gas company in arbitration against contractor stemming from breach of contract.
  • Represented multinational retailer in litigation concerning compliance with state regulatory requirements.
  • Handled appeals in multiple state and federal courts on civil and criminal issues.
  • Environmental
  • Represented company in state and federal environmental litigation.
  • Advised companies on risks under the Clean Water Act and CERCLA.
* Experience prior to Katten

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Practices
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Education
  • University of Alabama School of Law, JD, Order of the Coif, summa cum laude
  • University of Alabama, BA, summa cum laude
  • The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Certificate in ESG Risks and Opportunities, Certificate in ESG and Social Activism
  • University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Certificate in Sustainable Capitalism and ESG
Bar Admissions
  • District of Columbia
  • Texas
Court Admissions
  • US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
Community Involvements
  • American Bar Association
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Best Lawyers in America
    Ones to Watch
    Appellate Practice, 2024
    Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2021–2024
    Health Care Law, 2024
  • National Law Journal
    DC Rising Star, 2023
  • Super Lawyers Rising Stars
    Washington, DC, 2022–2023
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