Hello everyone, I’m very excited about my new firm and partnership at Johnson Livingston. I’m exited to serve the members of this community and so I wanted to share a little bit about me with you.
I was born and raised in Orem, Utah. Having lived in Argentina as well as Kansas, I can tell you that Utah has a special place in my heart. I love that in one state you can hike the narrows of Zion, bike the redrocks of Moab, and go up north and enjoy snowboarding and four-wheeling in the mountains. I think Utah is an amazing place that has something to offer everyone.
From a very young age I was fascinated with legal TV shows and movies like Law and Order, A Time to Kill, and other courtroom dramas. Law school was always on my mind throughout school, but the thought of adding an additional three years of school was not in my plans. Ultimately my desire to be in a courtroom got the best of me and I attended University of Kansas (Rock Chalk Jayhawk) for a year, before meeting my eventual wife and transferring to the University of Utah.
Before law school, I worked as a private investigator doing a lot of family law cases. I always thought I would end up doing family law, but kept an open mind. The two things I said I would never do were criminal defense and personal injury. During law school, an opportunity came to work for a personal injury firm, I took it mostly out of necessity. While I was there, I saw firsthand what an injured person faces when dealing with insurance companies. They are facing billion-dollar companies who will spend tens of thousands of dollars fighting a claim so they can save thousands. Seeing the challenge that plaintiffs and their attorneys have, I was inspired by the challenge and the opportunity to take on the big guy. I have been hooked on helping injured people ever since.
I have loved my time working as an attorney in this field because there is a huge emphasis on training and constant learning. During my first two years of practice, I attended over 180 hours of continuing legal education and have maintained over 80 per year since. I truly believe that there is no standing still, you are either progressing and getting better or regressing and getting worse. I have had the fortunate opportunity to work with and learn from some of the finest plaintiff attorneys in the country to learn cutting-edge strategies that ensure favorable outcomes.
My favorite thing about being an attorney is going to trial. This is where the countless hours of preparation come together for the final showdown. It is a high-stress environment with all the chips on the table where at the end of the day, a group of jurors, representing the community, will decide what they want for their community. I am amazed at our jury system and how it allows members of the community to weigh in and decide what’s best for the community. I consider it a great privilege to take part in that process.
Outside of the courtroom, I love spending time with my wife and daughter. We love hiking, swimming, four-wheeling, camping, and pretty much all things outdoors, I also love shooting guns and volunteer as a Range Safety Officer at the Provo Shooting Sports Park up Provo Canyon.
I am excited to help members of this community.
Blake Johnson
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