Areas of Practice
Education
- Tulane University Law School, J.D., 1985, cum laude
- University of Virginia, B.S. in Commerce, 1982
Bar Admissions
- District of Columbia, 1991
- Louisiana, 1985
A partner in the firm and a member of its board of directors, Chris Johnsen received his Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the University of Virginia in 1982, and his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Tulane University Law School in 1985. He was admitted to the Louisiana Bar later that year and has worked continuously with Jones Walker since completing his law degree. Since opening the firm’s office in Washington, D.C., in 1990 and being admitted to the District of Columbia Bar in 1991, Mr. Johnsen has built a strong team of maritime professionals who represent all sectors of the U.S. maritime industry. He provides his clients with a broad range of government relations assistance, including advice on a wide variety of legislative and regulatory matters facing the maritime industry. He has developed strong relationships with the key committees on Capitol Hill with general jurisdiction over transportation and maritime issues (the Senate Commerce Committee, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee) and the tax writing committees with jurisdiction over maritime tax and trade matters (the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee).
Over the years, Mr. Johnsen has been deeply involved in numerous legislative matters affecting the maritime industry, including the Maritime Security Acts of 1996 and 2003, numerous Coast Guard Authorization Acts, the landmark tonnage tax legislation, the repeal of Subpart F shipping income provisions, the Jones Act, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, and legislation to implement numerous Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). In addition to his work on Capitol Hill, he has developed close ties with the principal Federal agencies involved with the promotion and/or regulation of the U.S. maritime industry: the Department of Transportation, the Maritime Administration (MarAd), the United States Coast Guard, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Department of Agriculture, the United States Trade Representative, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Mr. Johnsen is the past President of the Propeller Club of Washington and currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of the Coast Guard Foundation. He also sits on the Advisory Board of the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.
News
- Jones Walker Named to New Orleans CityBusiness’ Innovators of the Year 2006
- Johnsen Featured in DC Legal Times Katrina Aid Article
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar
- Louisiana State Bar Association
