Kate Johnson is a Partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP's Denver office and is Vice-Chair for the firm's Tort & Catastrophic Loss national practice section. She is also Vice-Chair of the firm's Aviation national practice team and part of the Professional Liability/Errors & Omissions national practice section. Kate’s practice focuses on aviation and transportation. She regularly consults with corporations and individuals regarding federal regulatory matters, including supplemental type certificates, licensure, reporting obligations and incident investigations. Kate frequently assists clients in litigated matters arising from these areas. She handles numerous wrongful death, personal injury and property damage cases arising from both private and commercial aircraft incidents. Kate has extensive experience defending aviation products liability matters, from large-scale parts manufacturers to individual STC holders.

She began her career as a clerk with a diverse background in aviation education and flight experience, having majored in flight sciences. She graduated at the top of her class, where she earned her commercial pilot certificate with instrument and multi-engine ratings. In 2012 she became an associate attorney, earning her licenses to practice in both Colorado and Wyoming.

Prior to attending law school, Kate continued professional piloting, earning her airplane single engine sea rating and working as a bush pilot in Alaska for an adventure transportation and outfitting company. During law school, Kate served as Director of Operations for a flying club near Boston, where she drafted various aircraft leases and Part 135 charter documents, coordinated helicopter tours and lessons, and earned her private helicopter rating in the formidable Robinson R44. Kate has also worked in a variety of areas for FBOs and airports, from customer service to logistics to FAA Advisory Circulars compliance and understands both the financial and operations sides of the aviation business.

In recognition of her outstanding work in aviation litigation, since 2017 Kate has been listed as the only Rising Star in the field of Aviation & Aerospace in Super Lawyer’s Colorado editions. She was also named to Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch (2024) list for her work in transportation and administrative law.

Colorado

Colorado State Courts

U.S District Court for the District of Colorado

U.S District Court for the District of Wyoming

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Wyoming

Wyoming State Courts

Defense Research Institute
Colorado Bar Association
Denver Bar Association
Colorado Defense Lawyers Association
Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association
Experimental Aircraft Association
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Aviation Insurance Association

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America^® 2024-2025