Karla L. Johnson

Karla Johnson focuses on high-stakes financial services and class action litigation, representing financial industry clients in state and federal courts across the country, as well as in arbitration proceedings.

Karla has significant experience representing major financial institutions in: disputes relating to mortgage lending and servicing, allegations of discriminatory lending, exposure relating to the operation of Ponzi schemes, auto lending and repossession issues, deposit account issues including claims under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, claims of fraudulent wire transfers, litigation and mass arbitration relating to overdraft fees, and securities lending programs and investments losses. Karla has negotiated countless class action settlements, including drafting of settlement papers, obtaining court approval, and handling administration issues in a variety of matters, including defending the terms of a class settlement at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. She also has experience defending financial industry clients from subpoenas arising out of complex litigation situations.

Among the many matters that Karla handled prior to joining Jones Day in 2026 include: represented a bank in nationwide class action that resulted in denial of class certification of claims pertaining to interest payments on Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgages; successfully defended a bank against class allegations of improper credit reporting; advocated successfully to strike the class allegations in multiple matters based on "fail-safe" class definitions; argued successfully at the Pennsylvania Superior Court for a financial institution in a matter challenging viability of a mortgage lien; and defended a bank against multiple subpoenas arising out of major data breach litigation.

Karla regularly represents individuals pro bono in obtaining protection from abuse orders in situations of domestic violence within the Allegheny County Courts.