Christy Johnson grew up in Alaska and worked on commercial fishing vessels in the Bering Sea, Pacific Ocean, and South Pacific. After ten years at sea, Ms. Johnson retired her fishing boots and obtained her Bachelors and Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga and Gonzaga Law School. Ms. Johnson then became licensed to practice law in Alaska where she practiced family law for a brief period. Not happy with the practice of family law and wanting to stay true to her roots, Ms. Johnson moved to New Orleans and obtained her Legal Masters in Maritime/Admiralty Law from Tulane Law School. Following the completion of her Legal Masters program, Ms. Johnson became licensed in Louisiana and spent ten years working as a defense attorney handling personal injury cases under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), the Defense Base Act (DBA), and the Jones Act. In January 2019, Ms. Johnson left the defense bar and formed Mainstay Law LLC where she focusses her practice on representing injured workers’ under the LHWCA and the DBA.
Because of her extensive offshore experiences and her maritime defense work, Ms. Johnson brings a unique perspective to her practice. She understands the hardships faced by those who work, and are injured, in austere environments. Furthermore, Ms. Johnson has personal knowledge as to how insurance carriers view workers’ compensation cases such as yours and how they develop their defense strategies against you. This gives Ms. Johnson an ability to help you navigate through your workers’ compensation case and best preserve your rights to medical and indemnity benefits under the LHWCA and the DBA. Ms. Johnson’s DBA practice takes her across the nation and around the world so wherever you reside, Ms. Johnson is ready to stand up for you.
Studies:
- Bachelors Degree from Gonzaga University in 2002
- Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga School of Law in 2005
- LL.M (Legal Masters) in Maritime/Admiralty Law from Tulane Law School in 2009
Admitted to practice in the following:
- All state courts of Alaska and Louisiana
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
- United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
- United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana
- United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
Professional Memberships:
- American Bar Association
- Louisiana Bar Association
- Department of Labor Joint Bar Association
- Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group
- National Association of Certified Mediators
- Association for Conflict Resolution
- Port of New Orleans Mariners’ Club – President 2019
Michael T. Wawrzycki
Michael Wawrzycki grew up in the Great Lakes region of New York, obtaining both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Binghamton University, before moving to New Orleans in 2003 to attend Tulane University Law School. Since graduating in 2006, Mr. Wawrzycki has worked in a wide variety of legal fields, practicing at a large plaintiffs’ personal injury firm, small- to medium-sized defense firms, and as corporate in-house counsel. The bulk of his experience, however, is in admiralty litigation, including personal injury cases under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), the Defense Base Act (DBA), and the Jones Act. In November 2020, Mr. Wawrzycki joined Mainstay Law LLC, where he focuses his practice on representing injured workers under the LHWCA and the DBA.
Having worked for both plaintiffs and defendants; individuals, small companies, and large insurers; Mr. Wawrzycki has an advanced understanding of what admiralty claimants need to prove in court, how defense attorneys will go about trying to defeat those claims, and why courts rule as they do on pertinent legal issues. This provides Mr. Wawrzycki with the capacity to help you with your workplace injury claim and preserve your rights to medical and indemnity benefits under the LHWCA and DBA. Mr. Wawrzycki is ready to fight for you, no matter where you reside, no matter your circumstance.
Studies:
- Bachelor’s Degree from Binghamton University in 1998
- Master’s Degree from Binghamton University in 2001
- Juris Doctorate from Tulane University in 2006
Admitted to practice in the following:
- All state courts in the state of Louisiana;
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
- United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
- United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana
- United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
Professional memberships:
- Louisiana Bar Association
- New Orleans Bar Association