Carolyn J. Johnsen

Carolyn J. Johnsen is a nmember of Dickinson Wright PLLC in Phoenix, where she creates complex plans of reorganization for multi-million dollar companies in a wide range of industries, including mort- gage lending, real estate, manufacturing, retail, refining, hospitality, aviation and energy. She has advised private and public corporations in formulating and implementing managerial, personnel and operational structures. She has also guided numerous boards and senior managers in developing strategies and solu- tions for revising operations and restructuring debt to effectuate the emergence of a stronger business through bankruptcy, or to take advantage of acquisition and sale opportunities, including the application of bankruptcy procedures favorable to corporate securities regulation compliance. Ms. Johnsen has ne- gotiated multiple multi-million dollar transactions with lenders, investment bankers and brokers, asset purchasers and sellers, and governmental agencies. She served as lead counsel for a debtor company with a $1 billion commercial loan portfolio, 2,400 investors and multiple borrowers, and resolved com- pliance issues with the state banking department, SEC and state attorney general to prevent a shutdown of the company and assessment of penalties. She also represented Arizona's largest utility company in bankruptcy matters, and served as lead counsel to the owner of a national sports franchise in a chapter 11 bankruptcy by the franchise, negotiating with the national league, creditors and municipal stadium owner regarding the competitive sale of the franchise, player contracts, team assets, and assumption of stadium rights and contracts. Ms. Johnsen is admitted to the Arizona Bar and was named "One of the Most Influential Women for 2015" by Arizona Business magazine. She received her B.S. in wildlife and fisheries science from Texas A&M University in 1977, her J.D. from Texas Tech School of Law in 1980 and her M.A. in military history from Norwich University in 2011.