About Johnjerica Hodge

Johnjerica Hodge helps her clients navigate difficult issues as they arise, whether in litigation or otherwise, and establish the policies and procedures needed to reduce the wide range of risk companies 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 one of the first law school courses focusing on 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 investigations

Johnjerica 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 involving allegations of fraudulent billing and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. She also provides counsel on billing and coding issues under state laws.

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, and she devotes a portion of her practice to corporate compliance and business ethics issues. She also has substantial experience in motion practice in state and federal courts.

A core component of Johnjerica’s practice is her deep experience in ESG and matters related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Leveraging her investigatory skills, she works with companies and institutions from a broad range of industries in identifying areas of vulnerability and opportunity within the organization and its policies and procedures. She also assists companies facing ESG-related litigation risks and counsels companies on various ESG-related issues.

An adjunct professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, Johnjerica teaches "ESG: Racial Equity Audits." In 2023, she will teach a similar course at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School. 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

  • Counsel public beverage company on ESG-related issues.
  • Represent international non-profit in ESG-related litigation.
  • Represent international non-profits in preparing comments on the FTC’s Green Guides.
  • Represent health care company and its affiliated entities in creating ESG program.
  • Performed FCPA analysis for global manufacturer.
  • Represent financial institution in breach of contract and breach of trust agreement litigation.
  • Performed FCPA analysis for international shipping company.
  • Represent health care provider subject to government investigation for alleged violations of False Claims Act.
  • Represent health care provider in internal investigation of potential FCA liability arising from billing and coding issues.
  • Represented company in state and federal environmental litigation.
  • Counseled software company on compliance issues related to mergers and acquisitions.
  • Counseled company on FCPA risks from subcontractor’s operations in Latin America.
  • Represented multinational company relating to internal investigation in Vietnam.
  • Counseled multinational company on FCA risks from potential business partnership.
  • Member of independent compliance monitor team for multinational pharmaceutical company convicted of violating the FCPA.
  • Represented health care provider in obtaining dismissal in FCA lawsuit arising from allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse.
  • Represented health care provider in obtaining favorable settlement in FCA lawsuit arising from alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
  • Represented multinational oil and gas company in breach-of-contract arbitration against contractor.
  • Represented oil and gas exploration and production company in SEC enforcement action.
  • Co-authored opposition brief for appeal defending a multi-week jury trial.
  • Represented health care providers in obtaining successful resolution of litigation concerning corporate raiding and tortious interference claims.

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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
    Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2021–2022
  • Super Lawyers Rising Stars
    Washington, DC, 2022
Award Methodologies