Gary C. Johnson Attorneys at Law, P.S.C.

Attorney Gary C. Johnson

Gary C. Johnson has been representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases for over forty years. In 1993 he founded Gary C. Johnson, P.S.C. which currently has fourteen attorneys based at four Kentucky offices in Pikeville, Lexington, Louisville, and Hazard. The firm’s Lexington injury lawyers also provide services in other Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Indiana, and West Virginia locations.

Gary and his firm are listed in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and he has been named a Kentucky Super Lawyer every year since its inception.

In 2008, the Kentucky Justice Association awarded Gary the Peter Perlman Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for his work as an advocate for the rights of the people and his service as a mentor to young lawyers in the state. As a Lexington accident attorney, he has tried cases before juries in Kentucky, Georgia, and West Virginia.

Gary has obtained numerous multimillion-dollar jury verdicts and settlements for injured over his long and distinguished career, including the largest personal injury jury verdict of any lawyer in the state of Kentucky.

He has written the book Winning the Unwinnable Case: Key Techniques for Every Trial, published by Trial Guides, as well as contributed his years of research on trial strategies to Reptile: The 2009 Manual of the Plaintiff’s Revolution, considered to be “the book” for the modern approach to jury persuasion.

Gary has also developed a unique and effective litigation strategy, which he’s termed “Judo Law.” Here, he adopts the defendant’s own arguments and turns those arguments to his client’s advantage. Like a martial arts master, the Judo Law practitioner uses his opponent’s own weight to throw them off balance. The modern-day plaintiff’s lawyer is the nimble master, while the defendant’s insurer is the colossus brought down.

Gary devotes most of his time to the day-to-day practice of law. His firm’s practice consists entirely of representing plaintiffs injured by vehicular negligence, product liability, and medical malpractice. In the last few years, however, he has devoted some of his time to the education of other trial lawyers. He has presented seminars for the Kentucky Bar Association, Kentucky Justice Association, and the American Association of Justice on trial strategy and how to maximize damages in your case.

Finally, Gary continues to educate the public with his media broadcasts, including his podcast Simply the Law of Life, a forum to encourage daily happiness and quality of life.

Attorney Anita Johnson

Anita Johnson was admitted to the practice of law in Kentucky in 1986. She is the managing partner for the Gary C. Johnson, P.S.C. law firm. Anita brings extensive experience in successful business enterprise management to the firm, along with a wide range of work experiences and personal accomplishments. Anita is a former high school math teacher. She has worked in the mining industry in eastern Kentucky and has served as an environmental consultant to small mine operators in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Anita earned her multi-engine instrument pilot’s license in 2002.

Anita is a lifelong resident of Pike County, Kentucky, and is married to Gary C. Johnson. Anita and Gary have two sons. Outside of her work as a Lexington injury lawyer, Anita enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and attending legal seminars and professional meetings.

Attorney Jonathan Barnes

Jonathan graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2017 where he earned both his B.A. in Finance and in Political Science. Jonathan then received his Juris Doctor from The Brandeis School of Law in 2021 where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and received departmental recognition for his contributions to the Journal of Environmental and Animal Law receiving a publication for his student note.

Jonathan is a lifelong Kentucky resident where he grew up in Oldham County outside of Louisville, KY. Jonathan is a Kentucky Wildcats fan and is his free time enjoys music and exercising, spending time with family and watching sports with friends.

Jonathan joined Gary C Johnson P.S.C in 2021 and specializes in plaintiff law where he has experience working as a Lexington personal injury lawyer and where he handles car accidents, premises liability, and other cases.

Attorney Angela Pergrem Owens

Angela Pergrem Owens has been a member of the Gary C. Johnson team since 1998. She is a 1991 graduate of the University of Kentucky and a 1994 graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law where she was an active member of the Moot Court Board.

During her career, Ms. Owens has been involved in all aspects of litigation. Ms. Owens works as a Lexington personal injury lawyer, including motor vehicle wrecks, nursing home abuse, product liability, and medical malpractice.

Ms. Owens was born and raised in Elkhorn City, Kentucky, and now practices in the Pikeville office. She is an active member of the Kentucky Justice Association and the American Association of Justice. She was a charter member of the Bus Litigation Group of the AAJ.

Ms. Owens has spoken at seminars for both the Kentucky Justice Association and the American Association of Justice. She was given an AV rating by Martindale Hubbell which is the highest ranking that can be achieved based on legal ability and ethical standards. She was also named Finest Lawyer of 2013. Ms. Owens is married to Scott Owens and they reside in Richmond, KY.

Attorney Heather Pack Howell

Heather Pack joined our Lexington office, bringing with her 18 years of experience handling personal injury cases. She is an Eastern Kentucky native and a 1995 graduate of Prestonsburg High School. She received her B.A. in Political Science and Psychology, magna cum laude, from the University of Kentucky in 2000 and her law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2003.

Following her graduation from law school, Heather worked for a general practice law firm for more than a decade. During that time she represented injured parties in both motor vehicle accidents and premises liability cases. In 2015, she shifted her practice to personal injury defense, where she remained until joining our firm as a Lexington accident attorney in August 2021. Her invaluable experience as a Lexington injury attorney has proven to be a great strength in helping injured parties navigate and resolve their claims with insurance companies.

Heather is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, Fayette County Bar Association, University of Kentucky Alumni Association, and United Commercial Travelers of America. She is AV Preeminent Peer Rated for the Highest Level of Professional Excellence.

Heather resides in Lexington, Kentucky with her daughters, Abby and Kylie, who keep her busy outside of the office with their various athletic endeavors.

Attorney Trent Robinson

Trent Robinson is a lifelong resident of Pike County, Kentucky, and takes pride in providing legal services to the people of Eastern Kentucky.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Pikeville College, graduating cum laude. Trent attended law school at the Appalachian School of Law, graduating in 2009. Following his completion of law school, he began practice as an Assistant County Attorney for Pike County.

Thereafter, Trent worked in private practice, handling a wide range of cases from personal injury to domestic relations. Trent then joined an insurance defense firm in Pike County, where he defended personal injury actions before joining the law offices of Gary C. Johnson, P.S.C. Trent is proud to put his experience and knowledge to work for the citizens of Eastern Kentucky.

Attorney Dustin Robert Williams

Dustin has been a member of the Gary C. Johnson team since 2002. Dustin graduated with honors from Georgetown College 1997, with a Bachelor of Arts and a triple minor. After graduation, Dustin received a scholarship to the University of Kentucky College of Law graduating in 2000. Prior to starting with the firm, he served a two-year term as a senior law clerk to Honorable Peggy E. Patterson, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Dustin has previously been named a rising star by Kentucky Super Lawyer, as well as having been named Top 40 Under 40 in Kentucky by the National Trial Lawyers on four separate occasions. He has also been named one of the Top 100 attorneys in Kentucky by the National Trial Lawyers. Dustin works exclusively as a personal injury lawyer in Lexington. The majority of his focus is on car accidents with an emphasis on truck accidents and complex crash litigation. Dustin has also taught multiple seminars on personal injury covering such areas as presenting damages at trial as well as insurance coverage issues.

Dustin was born and raised in Cumberland, Kentucky, and now practices out of the Pikeville office. Dustin is a very active member of the Kentucky Justice Association as well as the American Justice Association. Dustin has also received a Distinguished rating from his peers through Martindale Hubbell.

Dustin is married to Leslie Williams, and they live in Pikeville, Kentucky, with their two lovely children. Dustin and Leslie both enjoy volunteering in the community and participating in various organizations and committees.

Attorney Charles D. Johnson

Charles D. Johnson has been a member of the Gary C. Johnson team since 2013. Charles graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2010 with a B.S.B.A. in Entrepreneurship. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2013 where he was an officer and active member of the Appalachian Law Caucus.

Charles specializes in Plaintiff personal injury cases in the fields of vehicular negligence, products liability, and medical malpractice. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Kentucky Bar Association, Kentucky Justice Association, and Pike County Bar Association. Additionally, Charles has been named a Top 40 Under 40 member in Civil Litigation.

Charles is the son of Gary C. Johnson and Anita Parsons Johnson, and he is very excited about being able to continue his parents’ tradition of providing excellent legal service to the people of eastern Kentucky, southeastern Kentucky, and central Kentucky.

Attorney Mike Liska

Mike Liska is a Kentucky native. He graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1992.

Mike is a Lexington personal injury attorney licensed to practice law in Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. He is married to his best friend, Missy, and together they have five children. Outside serving as an accident attorney in Lexington, Mike enjoys running, kayaking, jet-skiing, and spending time with his friends and family.

Attorney Gerald J. Pierson

Jerry Pierson is from Peoria, Illinois, where he graduated from Bradley University in 1987. He received a master’s degree from the University of Toledo in 1990. Before law school, he taught college history, edited scholarly manuscripts, and worked in social service administration. At the University of Kentucky College of Law, Jerry Joined the Kentucky Law Journal, then was elected managing editor. In that post he redesigned the journal’s typography and publishing workflow. He earned his J.D. in 2006 and was that year’s winner of the Oexmann Writing Award.

Before coming to Gary C. Johnson, PSC in 2011, Jerry engaged in insurance defense and medical malpractice work. The Kentucky Supreme Court and Court of Appeals have used his arguments or language in a number of decisions.

Based in our Lexington office, Jerry supports our trial attorneys firm wide with his legal research and writing.

Jerry is raising three delightful children. Named a Top Writer by the international website Quora, he contributes answers on the topics of American Law, history, and books. He is also the creator and administrator of the Bibilophage Space, a book discussion forum that has over 330 thousand followers.

Together with his youngest son, in early 2020 he established “Pierson’s Free Library” to collect and distribute good used books in Lexington neighborhoods.

Attorney Emily Faith Wetmore 

Emily Faith Wetmore is a native of Knott County, Kentucky. After graduating from law school, Emily worked at a defense firm in Lexington, Kentucky before moving back to represent the people of Eastern Kentucky.

Emily uses the information garnered during her time as a defense attorney to aggressively pursue claims against insurance companies as a personal injury lawyer in Lexington and obtain the best possible results for her clients. In her spare time, Emily enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and volunteering.

Attorney Leslie Cronen

Attorney Leslie Cronen joined the law firm of Gary C. Johnson, P.S.C. after over a decade of practicing personal injury and mass torts at a well-respected Plaintiffs’ firm in Louisville, KY. Prior to that, she practiced for several years at two insurance defense firms, defending doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice cases. In her work with the law firm of Gary C. Johnson, P.S.C., Ms. Cronen will continue to represent individuals seriously injured through the negligence of others, including wrongful death and medical malpractice claims, as well as defective drug and medical device claims.

Ms. Cronen graduated from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, cum laude, in 2002, after receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Louisville in 1999. She is licensed to practice law in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Massachusetts. She is an active member of the Kentucky Justice Association, the American Association for Justice, and Women En Mass. Ms. Cronen has also served on the Board of Directors of the Jefferson County Women Lawyers Association for several years. She has been named a Super Lawyer for several years and is rated AV Preeminent, the highest possible rating by Martindale-Hubbell. Ms. Cronen recently co-chaired the first annual KY Women Trial Lawyers’ Retreat in June 2017, bringing together women attorneys from across the region for two days of networking, mentoring and learning in a relaxed environment.

With two teenagers at home, Ms. Cronen and her husband are very active in their school, sports and church activities and enjoy spending time with family, cooking and watching their favorite collegiate sports teams.

Attorney Jennifer L. Thompson

Jennifer L. Thompson concentrates her practice on mass tort litigation. Jennifer is a native of Floyd County, Indiana, and is a graduate of Indiana University – Bloomington and the University of Dayton School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Before changing to civil litigation, Jennifer’s career focused on criminal law, first as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Montgomery County, Ohio; and in 1997, she was selected to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and was assigned to the Chicago Division. As a Special Agent, Jennifer specialized in complex white-collar crime investigations, including financial institution fraud, securities and investment fraud, wire and mail fraud, public corruption and civil rights violations. After September 11, 2001, she also became involved in domestic terrorism and foreign counterintelligence investigations.

In 2005, Jennifer left the FBI and resumed the practice of law, specifically complex civil litigation. As an injury lawyer in Lexington, her primary focus involves product liability litigation.

Jennifer is married and has two children.