He served as senior legal counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom from 2002 to 2010, during which time he litigated and won numerous high-profile religious liberty cases nationwide and was a principal drafter of pro-life and pro-family legislation for many states and municipalities. In 2008, Johnson was appointed to the Louisiana Commission on Marriage and Family by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. He is a member of the Louisiana Bar and has been admitted pro hac vice to many federal district and appellate courts across the country. Johnson earned his J.D. from Louisiana State University.