Katie Johnson

Katie Johnson joined the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) in 2007 and has emerged as an industry change agent. She was appointed general counsel in 2014, charged with ensuring that NAR’s programs, policies, and activities were in compliance with the law. She also defends the association against legal challenges and initiates litigation to protect and preserve its assets and policies when necessary.

In 2017, Johnson and her team were recognized by World Trademark Review as the not-for-profit legal team of the year for their protection of the REALTOR® trademark. Under her leadership, the team has also been recognized for their work in battling patent trolls and working with Move Inc. to obtain a $130 million settlement from Zillow in a 2014 lawsuit alleging trade-secrets violations by Zillow.

This year, Johnson took center stage representing REALTORS® at a joint Federal Trade Commission–Department of Justice workshop on competition in real estate, where she forcefully asserted NAR’s position that the real estate industry is robustly competitive and that government intervention would stifle competition and innovation. In the past year, Johnson took on the additional role of chief member experience officer, focused on engaging REALTORS® and delivering resources, knowledge, and experiences to elevate member success and professionalism.

“From delivering trusted transaction guidance to supporting favorable laws and being community leaders, REALTORS® are the best advocates for all property owners,” says Johnson.