Hon. Mary M. Johnston (Ret.)

Retired Delaware Superior Court Judge Mary Johnston joins Delaware ADR to lend her expertise and skills to resolution of complex commercial and corporate disputes. As the longest serving judge on the Superior Court’s preeminent Complex Commercial Litigation Division (CCLD), Judge Johnston has deep experience with complex business and corporate disputes, interpreting laws of jurisdictions throughout the United States. Judge Johnston is highly regarded by corporate and commercial litigators for her well-reasoned decisions, calm demeanor, and careful, practical judgment.

Judge Johnston presided over hundreds of jury and bench trials in the Delaware Superior Court during her more than 20-year tenure including mass and toxic tort cases, and insurance coverage matters. Judge Johnston often was cross designated as a Vice Chancellor of the Court of Chancery, and she regularly was appointed to complete panels of the Delaware Supreme Court for appeals from the Court of Chancery. As a jurist, Judge Johnston successfully mediated complex disputes.

Prior to her appointment to Delaware’s Superior Court by Governor Ruth Ann Minner, Judge Johnston served as Chief Counsel of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel for the Delaware Supreme Court (ODC), with responsibility for the practice of law and legal ethics in Delaware. In this role, Judge Johnston shifted the ODC’s focus from  prosecution to prevention. Prior to her distinguished public service career, Judge Johnston was a partner in a private law firm where she focused her litigation practice on corporate and complex commercial litigation as well as bankruptcy adversary proceedings.

Judge Johnston was raised on a farm in Richmond, Indiana. She pursued a career in music before attending law school.

• WASHINGTON & LEE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude
  Law Review, Lead Articles Editor; American Jurisprudence Awards – Highest Grades in Evidence, Estates and Trusts; Omicron Delta Kappa, Honorary Fraternity; School of Law Alumni Council
• Northwestern University, Master of Music
• Wittenberg University, Bachelor of Music, Magna Cum Laud

• AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION | Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility; Judges Advisory Committee, Business Law Section; Business Court Representative; Trial Practice Subcommittee of the Business and Corporate Litigation Committee Co-Chair; Judicial Division Delegate to the Business Law Section
• AMERICAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS COURT JUDGES | SECRETARY; TREASURER
• NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN JUDGES
• DELAWARE ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION
• DELAWARE DUI TASK FORCE
• DELAWARE SUPREME COURT’S JUDICIAL ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
• DELAWARE SUPREME COURT’S COMMISSION ON CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
• DELAWARE SUPREME COURT’S PERMANENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DELAWARE LAWYERS’ RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
• DELAWARE SUPREME COURT’S PROFESSIONALISM COMMITTEE
• DELAWARE STATE BAR ASSOCIATION | Judicial Liaison to three Executive Committees; Committee on Response to Public Comment; Pro Se Litigation Assistance Committee
• DELAWARE STATE BAR ASSOCIATION WOMEN AND THE LAW SECTION | Chair
• DELAWARE HIGH SCHOOL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION JUDGE
• DUPONT LEGAL/YOUNG CONAWAY “STREET LAW” DIVERSITY PIPELINE WORKSHOPS
• RICHARD S. RODNEY INN OF COURT
• DELAWARE SUPREME COURT’S EDITORIAL BOARD, DELAWARE CONSTITUTION OF 1897 PROJECT
• MULTIDISCIPLINARY PRACTICE TASK FORCE, DELAWARE STATE BAR ASSOCIATION
• BOARD ON THE UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE OF LAW

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