Duke Johnston
General Counsel and Vice President of Legal and Governmental Affairs, The Dwyer Group®

Duke has been with The Dwyer Group since March 1994 and has served as general counsel and vice president of legal and governmental affairs since November 1998. Prior to that, he drafted opinions for the United States Bankruptcy Court in Houston, Texas and worked as a trial lawyer for a small litigation boutique in Austin, Texas.

Duke specializes in franchise and distribution law and is a frequent author and speaker on franchise law topics. He graduated from Harvard Law School's Program of Negotiation, and the International Franchise Association has designated Duke with the Certified Franchise Executive designation. He is currently serving on a State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee and is Chair of the Corporate Counsel Committee of the International Franchise Association. Duke has also been recognized as one of the "Top 50 In-House Attorneys in the State of Texas" by Texas Lawyer magazine.

 

He received a bachelor's degree from Trinity University with a double major in sociology and political science and a minor in speech. While at Trinity, Duke played for the football team and was recognized as an Academic All-American. He also holds a master of business administration and a doctor of jurisprudence.