Kate Johnson is a Partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary’s Denver office and is a member of the firm’s Professional Liability, Tort & Catastrophic Loss, and Aviation practice areas. Kate is Vice-Chair of the firm's Aviation national practice team. Kate’s practice focuses on aviation, transportation, and retail liability defense. 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 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.