ZACH JOHNSTON counsels clients on a range of technology and intellectual property matters, primarily in the context of mergers and acquisitions, licensing, development, marketing, and other strategic transactions.
Prior to joining Sidley, Zach was an associate at a boutique business law firm where he represented emerging brands and startups in corporate and intellectual property matters.
Zach earned his J.D., cum laude, and LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from DePaul University – College of Law, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law and a recipient of numerous CALI Awards for the highest grade in his class for several courses, including Intellectual Property Licensing and Trademark and Unfair Competition Law. Zach served as an in-house legal intern for multiple high-growth technology media startups and an international financial services corporation, focusing on issues ranging from intellectual property and marketing, to data privacy and protection. In addition to these roles, he served as research assistant to Professors Anthony G. Volini (Data Privacy and Cybersecurity) and Michael Grynberg (Trademark and Unfair Competition), and was a judicial extern to The Honorable Thomas M. Durkin, District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Prior to law school, Zach worked in corporate finance and risk for a multinational software company, gaining experience in capital financing, corporate governance, and mergers and acquisitions. He earned his B.B.A. in Finance with an International emphasis and a minor in Energy Technology and Management from the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University.