Lira A. Johnson

Partner

Lira provides legal solutions for business questions about employees, benefits, human resource management, employment-related administrative proceedings, and employment litigation. She began her law practice in Detroit, where she represented manufacturers and construction companies in negotiating collective bargaining agreements, conducting grievance hearings, participating in binding arbitration of employee discipline and termination disputes, and defends against allegations of unfair labor practices before the National Labor Relations Board. Lira maintains law licenses in the heavily-unionized states of Michigan and Wisconsin, along with her practice in Kentucky.

She represents unionized and union-free employers, including federal contractors, financial service providers, health care providers, manufacturers, and non-profit companies. She advises these clients on employer-sponsored health and welfare benefits, and defends employers in administrative proceedings with the Department of Labor (DOL), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCCP), and similar state-based agencies. She also frequently represents employers in litigation involving claims of discrimination, retaliation, non-compete agreements, and wages.

Credentials

Education

Indiana University Maurer School of Law (J.D., 1993)

  • Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, managing editor
  • ABA Moot Court

Indiana University (B.S., 1990)

Bar admissions

  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • Wisconsin

Court admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

Affiliations and memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Society for Human Resource Management
  • Louisville Bar Association
  • Louisville Employee Benefits Council

Languages

  • French
Publications
  • August 22, 2024

    Texas Court Revives Viability of Healthcare Non-Competes

  • July 26, 2024

    Pennsylvania Court Rules Non-Compete Ban Can Stand

  • July 9, 2024

    Court Blocks FTC’s Non-Compete Rule for Plaintiffs

  • December 20, 2021

    OSHA COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate is Back Following Sixth Circuit Decision

  • December 22, 2020

    FFCRA Paid Leave Requirements Not Extended; Tax Credits and Employer Aid is Extended

  • June 29, 2020

    COVID-19: Recommended Employer Response to CDC’s Revised Guidance on High-Risk Employees

  • April 27, 2020

    Governmental Oversight and CARES Act Funds: Recent Treasury Department Guidance

  • April 27, 2020

    CDC Adds New Symptoms for COVID-19 Screening – Employers Must Adjust Accordingly

  • March 18, 2020

    Summary of Amendments to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act on Paid Leave and Health Care

  • March 16, 2020

    Families First Coronavirus Response Act: What Businesses & Employers Need to Know

Events
  • February 21, 2024

    Medical Marijuana Laws in Kentucky – What You Need to Know

  • March 26, 2021

    Important Employee Benefit Changes from The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

  • October 13, 2020

    36th Annual Kentucky SHRM Conference. Presentation: CBD: The New Ingredient in HR Alphabet Soup

  • May 17, 2020

    Unlocking the Lockdown – An Employer’s Guide to Turning the Key

  • April 2, 2020

    COVID-19: Legal Issues for the Construction Industry

  • March 18, 2020

    Top Five Practices Employers Should Be Doing Now to Respond to the Threat of COVID-19