Lisa G. Johnston

Three decade veteran of the Department of Justice – Lisa G. Johnston – has been named the interim Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official for the Southern District of West Virginia. Johnston served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney to the departing U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart, who has recently tendered his letter of resignation to President-elect Joe Biden. By virtue of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnston will temporarily take over in the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia as U.S. Attorney Stuart departs on February 28, 2021. Acting U.S. Attorney General Monty Wilkinson had previously instructed Top Federal Prosecutor Michael Stuart and the rest of the remaining 55 Trump-appointed U.S. Attorneys to vacate their posts on or before the end of the month of February. This course of action is considered customary in the transition between administrations. It allows the new administration to nominate new Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officials across the United States. Acting U.S. Attorney General Wilkinson led an all-U.S. Attorney call in the morning of February 9, 2021, where he ordered the presidentially-appointed U.S. Attorneys to resign. In line with this, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston will step up and lead the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia for a maximum period of 300 days, beginning on March 1, 2021; however, the Office may welcome a new U.S. Attorney as soon as President Biden and the Senate is able to nominate and confirm a permanent Top Federal Prosecutor for the Southern District of West Virginia.

 

Appointment

The Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia has a newly appointed interim Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston will be temporarily replacing Top Federal Prosecutor Michael B. Stuart, who is departing from the Office of the U.S. Attorney in accordance with the request of President-elect Joe Biden, and as instructed by Acting U.S. Attorney General Robert M. Monty Wilkinson. Outgoing U.S. Attorney Stuart has been named among the 55 U.S. Attorneys who have previously been appointed under the Trump Administration. They are now being tasked to vacate their positions in line with the tradition occurring in the transition process from one administration to another. As the Biden Administration takes place in the United States government, new U.S. Attorneys are expected to be nominated and confirmed by President Biden and the Senate, respectively. On February 9, 2021, the aforementioned 55 Trump-appointed U.S. Attorneys were brought together in an all-U.S. Attorney call led by Acting U.S. Attorney General Monty Wilkinson, wherein the Top Federal Prosecutors were requested to step down from the highest positions in their Offices by the end of the month of February. In this regard, several appointed interim U.S. Attorneys, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston included, are expected to take over on March 1, 2021. Pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, the appointment of Johnston as Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia shall last for a period of 300 days, or until the Biden Administration has been able to appoint a new U.S. Attorney for the district.

 

Educational Background

An alumna of the West Virginia University, Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree, graduating Cum Laude in 1984. She had then entered the West Virginia University College of Law, receiving her Juris Doctorate in 1988.

 

Legal Career – U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia

A career prosecutor who has dedicated the whole of her legal career to government service, Acting U.S. Attorney Johnston launched her career in the Federal government by becoming a part of the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia. She was initially employed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1988 and was later promoted to becoming an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Interim Top Federal Prosecutor Lisa Johnston remained serving for the Northern District of West Virginia for almost two decades, from 1988 to 2006.

 

Legal Career – U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia

In August of 2006, U.S. Attorney Lisa Johnston joined the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. Within her more than three decades of serving in the Department of Justice, U.S. Johnston has developed excellent skills in criminal prosecution, with expertise in cases involving arson, drugs, firearms, fraud, health care, and sexual exploitation. In 2010, she was named the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the Southern District of West Virginia. She managed the Department of Justice’s initiative to combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children, emphasizing those that are facilitated by technology.

Upon the appointment of former U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart in January of 2018, now-Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Johnston was named First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. As second-in-command, Johnston was in charge of providing guidance and supervising the Civil, Criminal, and Administrative Divisions of the Office of the United States Attorney.

 

Statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Johnston

During the appointment of Lisa Johnston as the interim Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official in the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, she asserted that the vital work the U.S. Attorney’s Office brings to the district would continue. On top of that, she expressed her gratitude for being tapped to hold the highest position in the Office and that in this capacity, she will ensure that the Office’s dedication to justice will persist. Acting U.S. Attorney Johnston further stated that she looks forward to working with their law enforcement partners in bringing safety and justice to the community.

“I am truly humbled and honored to serve as the Acting U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of West Virginia.  The important work of the public servants in the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the district and their dedication to justice will continue. We look forward to working with our dedicated law enforcement partners who work hard to ensure the safety of our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.

 

Office Jurisdiction

Being the incumbent Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, Top Federal Prosecutor Lisa G. Johnston supervises and manages the whole of the Office of the U.S. Attorney and its staff of approximately 62 employees, comprising of 27 talented Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 35 support personnel. Apart from this, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is committed to several initiatives and programs, along with the prosecution of criminal cases and the handling of civil litigation in which the United States is a party.

 

Contact Details of Lisa Johnston

Full Name: Lisa G. Johnston
District/State: Southern District of West Virginia
Public email ID: N/A

Charleston Office

Robert C. Byrd U. S. Courthouse
Suite 4000
300 Virginia Street
Charleston, WV 25301

(304) 345-2200
Main

(304) 347-5104
Fax

Beckley Branch

United States Courthouse and IRS Complex
110 North Heber Street
Room 257
Beckley, WV 25801

(304) 253-6722
Main

(304) 253-9206
Fax

Bluefield Branch Office (Unstaffed)

601 Federal Street
Bluefield, WV 24701

(304) 529-5799
Main

(304) 529-5545
Fax

 

Social Media Profiles of Lisa Johnston

LinkedIn

Username: N/A
URL: N/A

Facebook

Username: N/A
URL: N/A

YouTube

Username: USAOSDWV
URL: https://www.youtube.com/user/USAOSDWV

Twitter Field

Username: U.S. Attorney SDWV
Tag: @SDWVnews
URL: https://twitter.com/SDWVnews

Updated: August 30, 2021

 

William S. Thompson is the next State’s Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. His biography can be found here.

Updated: February 24, 2022