Ethics Counselor and Attorney Advisor

CONNIE L. JOHNSON, JD

314-***-**** *************@*****.*** St. Louis, MO

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

REGULATORY ATTORNEY LEGISLATION LAW EXPERT TREASURY MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE Attorney with over 20 years’ experience in legislation and regulatory law for local, state and federal government. Subject matter expert in Administrative law, Fiscal, Contracts, Ethics, Compliance and Freedom of Information Act with extensive experience in personnel and employment law, EEOC complaints, whistleblower complaints, white collar crime, RFPS and bid protests, and class action litigation. Experienced document review attorney. Areas of Expertise:

● Regulatory Compliance ● Ethics

● Strategic Planning ● Government Procurement

● Audit and Exam Management ● Privacy Act

● Litigation Management ● Document Review

● EEOC Administration ● Government Relations

● Class Action Litigation ● Legislative Oversight

● Antitrust ● Investment Strategy

● Freedom of Information Act ● Risk Assessments

● Treasury Management

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Attorney-Advisor Feb 2021 - Present

United States Army, Surface Deployment and Distribution Command St. Louis, MO

● Represents the headquarters and entire command in third-party administrative, quasi judicial, and judicial proceedings on civilian personnel, labor relations, and equal employment opportunity matters.

● Represents Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) as trial attorney for civilian personnel, labor relations, equal employment opportunity litigation, and cases that could establish Command and department- wide precedent.

● Establishes case strategy and tactics; prepares pre-hearing motions and petitions; identifies relevant witnesses and documents via discovery procedures, including interrogatories and depositions.

● Advises on the impact of changes in procurement laws, rules, and regulations to the acquisition function and recommends appropriate changes in policy and procedure to SDDC and Department of the Army.

● Advises investigating officers concerning questions that arise during administrative investigations and maintains a close working relationship with all SDDC organizations and staff elements.

● Interprets transportation and contract laws, policies and regulations in cases involving complex legal or factual issues.

● Answers questions and prepares actions dealing with DOD and Army Administrative Law and Ethics.

● Performs other duties as assigned.

Assistant Treasurer Aug 2017- Sep 2020

City of St. Louis St. Louis, MO

Led the daily operations of Treasury Management in the Treasurer’s Office, which includes supervising 8 employees; managing over 100 million monthly in cash receipts and deposits; directing financial planning and investment of a half billion in funds for the City of St. Louis.

● Responsible for the protection and custody of city funds, insuring that banks provide adequate collateral; work with banks, local and federal officials to actively pursue claims for fraudulent transactions or attempts against the City;

● Oversaw banking and financial activities for over 35 investment and bank accounts

● Provided information and advice to other City departments, staff and management regarding financial/banking issues, audit functions and special projects; work with departments and provide necessary supporting documentation for annual KPMG audit; coordinate and oversee audits of Treasury Operations by the State of Missouri

● Collected HMDA information from financial institutions applying to become certified depositories for city funds

● Prepared RFPs and RFQs for banking services for Treasury Operations and City departments upon request

● Processed payments for General Obligation Bonds, Tax Revenue Anticipated Notes, Tax Increment Financing, and other special projects

● Assisted with responses to Sunshine requests, subpoenas and summons as needed Senior Counsel and Hearing Officer May 2017 – Aug 2017 Missouri Department of Revenue Jefferson City, MO

Served as Senior Counsel and Hearing Officer for Transportation Division which included knowledge of a variety of Department of Revenue rules and regulations regarding dealership licensing, driving while intoxicated and state driver’s licenses

● Researched, compiled, analyzed and prepared complex and detailed legal correspondence, pleadings, answers, briefs and opinions

● Conducted administrative hearings and evaluated case facts, court cases and laws to prepare decisions or recommendations; prepared and responded to discovery requests as needed; and negotiated cases to resolve conflicts and settle disputes

Designated Principal Assistant Jul 2016 – May 2017 Missouri Department of Revenue Jefferson City, MO

Served as Deputy Director for the Legal Services Division which had five divisions led by Managing Attorneys and over 100 staff attorneys, paralegals and administrative staff statewide

● Managed the Compliance and Investigation Bureau (CIB); which included operations at four in-state offices with a total of 16 special agents and staff

● Managed the Internal Audit and Compliance Unit, which consisted of 6 Senior Level Accountants responsible for auditing 180 Division of Motor Vehicle License offices, Historic and other designated tax credit programs from the Department of Economic Development and other programs and services in the Department of Revenue Contract Attorney Oct 2015 – Jun 2016

Special Counsel Washington, DC

Reviewed and analyzed documents for responsiveness for major antitrust cases involving a pharmaceutical company and a major health care provider; Reviewed documents for responsiveness and performed privilege logging for health care merger antitrust cases.

Alternate Designated Agency Ethics Official Sep 2014–Jun 2015 Postal Regulatory Commission Washington, DC

Developed and oversaw Commission ethics policies, procedures, and controls; provided ethics counsel to Commission employees; reviewed confidential and public disclosure forms; conducted ethics training; and completed annual ethics programs surveys and consulted with the Office of Government Ethics on developing a corrective action plan.

● Prepared the agency for annual and surprise compliance audits from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics

● Assisted the agency in ensuring that political and Presidential appointees had completed all necessary ethics forms and complied with mandatory requirements to avoid conflicts of interest Senior Attorney-Advisor Jun 2013-Sep 2014

Export –Import Bank of the U.S Washington, DC

Supported General Counsel in carrying out the duties of the Designated Agency Ethics Official and by preparing opinions, developing annual training, counseling employees as needed and other ethics duties as assigned.

● Provided legal guidance and litigation support in all aspects of EEO, labor relations and personnel matters

● Provided legal support to Bank officials concerning active white-collar crime and whistleblower investigations with the Office of the Inspector General

● Reviewed proposed legislation, and Presidential executive orders for implementation and compliance Deputy Ethics Counselor Aug 2011-Jun 2013

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Washington DC Served as subject-matter expert on a wide range of complex and sensitive ethics issues that had a significant impact on the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement operations.

● Responsible for the daily management and operations of the ethics program for a bureau of over 500 employees

● Provided advice and counsel to human resources officers, employee relations specialists, the Departmental Ethics Office, and the Departmental Office of Inspector General in the investigation of violations of personnel rules and regulations, the Standards of Conduct for Federal Employees, criminal statutes and whistleblower actions

● Responded to Freedom of Information Requests and Congressional Inquiries Office of the General Counsel, Attorney-Advisor-Administrative Law Jul 2009 – Aug 2011 Secretary of the Air Force Washington, DC and The Pentagon Provided legal advice and briefings on administrative law, appropriations and fiscal law, ethics and a broad spectrum of legal subjects to the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel and identified and analyzed novel and complex issues regarding the same.

● Conducted post-government employment briefings and other briefings as required

● Resolved legal issues and provides representational support on ethics, public affairs, intellectual property/ trademark, and other miscellaneous administrative law duties, to include interpretation of federal laws and regulations; appropriations, funding/resource management, non-appropriated fund activities, international law, labor and employment law, FOIA/information law, and other areas associated with general and administrative law practice Office of the General Counsel, Attorney-Advisor – Executive Services Feb 2009 – Jun 2009 Secretary of the Air Force Washington, DC and The Pentagon Served as the overall business manager for all seven (7) divisions of the Office of the General Counsel with responsibility for human resources, personnel security matters, continuity of operations, planning, internal management controls; related periodic reporting requirements.

● Provided oversight of human resources functions including recruiting and personnel and security processing, training and career development for paralegals and administrative staff

● Drafted and provided assistance in drafting personnel and human resource documents including job vacancy announcements, core personnel documents, performance appraisals, classification documents and job objectives State Representative, 61st District Aug 2000 - Jan 2009 Missouri House of Representatives Jefferson City, MO

● Wrote and sponsored 7 pieces of legislation on various issues including, but not limited to homeland security, suicide prevention and education, orders of protection and domestic violence, and DNA testing that became law in the State of Missouri

● Drafted, reviewed and provided legal analysis on hundreds of bills and proposed legislation due to my service on committees, but also because of my leadership position as House Minority Whip, where I was directly responsible for reviewing all bills on the calendar and preparing daily reports and advisory opinions for House Democratic Caucus of approximately 72 members

● Developed and wrote electronic newsletter which serviced almost 10,000 subscribers weekly; prepared legislative summaries, reports, and advisories for 35,000 constituents on quarterly and yearly basis

● Supervised and managed daily floor activity and voting for approximately 72 members Adjunct Professor Mar 2021-Present

Maryville University St. Louis, MO

● Serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Simon School of Business

● Teaching Cyber Law

Adjunct Professor Jul 2020-Present

Saint Louis University St. Louis, MO

● Serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Law School

● Teaching Local and State Government

Adjunct Professor Jan 2020 – Present

Washington University St. Louis, MO

● Serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Brown School of Social Work

● Teaching health policy and legislation

EDUCATION

Juris Doctorate

St. Louis University, School of Law St. Louis Missouri Bachelor of Arts – Health Administration

St. Louis University, School of Public Health St. Louis Missouri Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications

Bradley University Peoria, Illinois

PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS

● Licensed in the State of Missouri

● Licensed Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia

● Licensed Missouri Court of Appeals: Western District

● Licensed Missouri Court of Appeals: Eastern District

● Member, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners

● Member, Government Financial Officers Association AFFILIATIONS

● Member, Lincoln University: Paula J. Carter Center on Minority Health and Aging

● Mound City Bar Association

● Board Member, Bayer Family YMCA

● Member, International Committee for the Greater YMCA

● Board Member, St. Louis Housing and Opportunity Council

● Community Advisory Board Member, Simmons Bank

● Member, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter

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