After a decade main the commerce group’s authorized staff — together with by means of sexual harassment scandals and quite a few anti-trust fee lawsuits — Johnson is leaving.
Whether or not it’s refining your enterprise mannequin, mastering new applied sciences, or discovering methods to capitalize on the subsequent market surge, Inman Join New York will put together you to take daring steps ahead. The Subsequent Chapter is about to start. Be a part of it. Be part of us and hundreds of actual property leaders Jan. 22-24, 2025.
Katie Johnson, the pinnacle of the Nationwide Affiliation of Realtors’ authorized staff, is departing from the 1.5-million-member commerce group after practically 20 years, NAR advised Inman Tuesday.
After Inman inquired relating to a rumor that Johnson had simply been fired, an NAR spokesperson advised Inman minutes later that was “not correct.”
TAKE THE INMAN INTEL INDEX SURVEY FOR SEPTEMBER
Katie Johnson
“Katie Johnson is stepping down as Chief Legal Officer and Chief Member Experience Officer after 17 years of dedicated service to NAR,” the spokesperson stated in a press release.
“Having joined NAR in 2007, Katie has spent the majority of her profession dedicated to fulfilling NAR’s mission to make homeownership a actuality for all People. We’re grateful for her service.
“As we make this transition, our priority is ensuring business continuity and remaining laser focused on shepherding NAR through this time of significant industry change.”
Inman has requested why Johnson is stepping down, when she is stepping down and who will exchange her. We’ll replace this story if and when responses are obtained.
Johnson’s exit comes simply over a month after NAR named Nykia Wright its first feminine CEO.
In 2014, Katie Raynolds Johnson, then the group’s affiliate counsel, grew to become NAR’s basic counsel and the successor to NAR’s longtime authorized champion Laurie Janik after Janik’s retirement. She was promoted because the commerce group was embroiled in litigation with NeighborCity.com operator American House Realty Community. Now, she leaves as NAR offers with an impending antitrust investigation by the U.S. Division of Justice.
Johnson grew to become NAR’s chief authorized officer in March 2023, based on her LinkedIn profile. She led the affiliation’s authorized division by means of years of turmoil, notably within the final 5 years when a number of antitrust lawsuits and sexual harassment scandals rocked the group.
Throughout Johnson’s tenure, NAR suffered a stunning defeat at trial in a case referred to as Sitzer | Burnett, through which a jury discovered NAR and main actual property franchisors had conspired to inflate dealer commissions and awarded a category of Missouri homesellers billions in damages. NAR’s authorized staff negotiated a $418 million deal in March to settle that case and different comparable circumstances nationwide.
That settlement, which has not but obtained last court docket approval, earned combined reactions from the commerce group’s members. Shortly earlier than that growth, NAR had repeatedly stated it might attraction the decision.
In November, at NAR’s annual convention, the commerce group held a authorized replace that includes Johnson and colleagues Lesley Muchow, NAR’s basic counsel, and Charlie Lee, NAR’s senior counsel.
Then-NAR President Tracy Kasper launched the three and stated of them,”That is the epitome of grace below fireplace. That is the epitome of specialists that now we have in our home; these watching out for us all of those years. They’ve labored tirelessly for us.”
In line with NAR’s nonprofit tax filings, NAR paid Johnson $375,185 in compensation in 2014 for working a median of 37.5 hours per week. In 2022, the most recent 12 months out there, Johnson obtained $1.021 million for working a median 50 hours per week. Within the 9 years between 2014 and 2022, Johnson pulled in a complete of $6,227,762 in compensation from NAR.
| Katie Johnson’s Complete Compensation 2014-2022 | |
| 2014 | $375,185 |
| 2015 | $440,163 |
| 2016 | $497,435 |
| 2017 | $579,225 |
| 2018 | $692,747 |
| 2019 | $766,398 |
| 2020 | $891,977 |
| 2021 | $963,164 |
| 2022 | $1,021,468 |
| Complete: | $6,227,762 |
Supply: NAR’s Type 990s through ProPublica
Johnson, the daughter of two Realtors, earned her regulation diploma in 2005 and spent practically two years at Chicago regulation agency Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona earlier than coming to NAR as affiliate counsel in October 2007.
Editor’s be aware: This story has been up to date.
