Mr. Johnson is the current chair of the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditor’s Rights section. His practice is concentrated in bankruptcy, corporate reorganizations, creditor’s rights and commercial, and bankruptcy litigation. His practice includes debtor, committee, trustee and commercial representations under Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code, pre-bankruptcy workout negotiations and transaction structuring, representations involving preference, fraudulent transfer and other avoidance actions, representations involving federal and state court receiverships, and real and personal property foreclosures, representations involving general commercial litigation matters, and secured transactions litigation and transaction structuring.

Michael R. Johnson was last modified: August 25th, 2025 by RQN

Awards and Recognition

  • Fellow of the prestigious American College of Bankruptcy
  • The Best Lawyers in America© in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, and in Bankruptcy Litigation
  • Best Lawyers as “Lawyer of the Year” in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency, Reorganization Law and Bankruptcy Litigation (2015-2016, 2018-2023, 2025-2026)
  • AV Preeminent (5.0) rating with Martindale Hubbell
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers (2007-2020, 2023-2024) in the categories of Bankruptcy: Business, Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights, Business Litigation, and General Litigation
  • Utah’s “Legal Elite,” as published in Utah Business Magazine (2010-2022)

Education

University of Utah, J.D., 1994

  • Order of the Coif
  • Note and Comment Editor, Utah Law Review

Utah State University, B.S., 1990

  • summa cum laude

Professional and Civic Activity

  • Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy
  • Former Member, Utah State Bar Character & Fitness Committee
  • Former Board Member, Stansbury Service Agency
  • Former Director, Heritage West Federal Credit Union, fka Tooele Federal Credit Union
  • Former Member, Tooele City Council
  • Former Member, Bar Examiners Committee, Utah State Bar

Affiliations / Memberships

  • Utah State Bar
  • Salt Lake County Bar Association
  • Tooele County Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Arizona State Bar
  • Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy
  • American Bankruptcy Institute
  • Turnaround Management Association
  • Utah Bankruptcy Lawyer’s Forum

Professional Experience

  • Partner, Snell & Wilmer, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Associate, Brown and Bain, P.A., Phoenix, Arizona
  • Law Clerk, Hon. David K. Winder, Chief Judge, United States District Court, District of Utah
  • Former Judge Pro Tem, Utah Third District Court
Admitted to Practice
Utah Supreme Court
United States District Court, District of Utah
Supreme Court of Arizona
United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Awards

Martindale-Hubbell, Preeminent Peer rated for highest level of professional excellence badge
super lawyers michael r. johnson
michael johnson

Contact

Michael R. Johnson

801-323-3363