David M. Johnson has practiced law for more than 47 years. He has practiced family law exclusively for over 40 years. His background includes serving as a family court magistrate judge in El Paso County and representing children in juvenile cases and bitter divorce battles over children. His practice concentrated on complex cases involving children’s issues and high value marital estates. He has handled many cases involving business valuations, complex trust issues, and spouses with substantial wealth. He has drafted prenuptial agreements and post nuptial agreements involving multimillion dollar estates.
David has acted as a court appointed special master in a number of complex cases. Since 2019 he has limited his practice to serving as a mediator or as a mediator-arbiter in family law cases. David firmly believes that most family law cases have a better outcome when the parties reach agreements through mediation or mediation-arbitration. As a mediator or mediator-arbitrator he works with both sides and their counsel to arrive at an equitable property agreement and a parenting plan that is best of the children.
David has served on the board of directors of CASA of the Pikes Peak Region, Colorado CASA, TESSA, Safe Passage, the El Paso County Bar Foundation and the Legal Aid Foundation of the Colorado Bar Association. He is a past president of the Colorado Bar Association (2009-2010), the El Paso County Bar Association (1990) and is a past chair of both the El Paso County Bar Association’s Family Law Section and the Colorado Bar Association’s Family Law Section. David served for six years on the Legislative Policy Committee of the Colorado Bar Association. He has served a six year term on the Judicial Nominating Commission of the 4th Judicial District (El Paso and Teller County).
David currently serves on the Board the Colorado Lawyers Trust Fund and is the Chair of the Judicial Performance Commission of the 4th Judicial District. Since January 2016 he has been a member of the Attorney Regulation Committee of the Colorado Supreme Court.
David is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale Hubble. He has been named in The Best Lawyers in America since 1994 and also has been named in Colorado Super Lawyers since 2006. David was recognized as the outstanding Family Law Attorney by the El Paso County Bar Association Family Law section in 2013. In 2014 he received the prestigious ICON Award from the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association for his “…significant contributions to the improvement of the practice of family law in Colorado.” In 2015 he was honored by the El Paso County Bar Association with the Ben S. Wendleken Award for his “…competence, compassion and ability to get things done.” In 2021 David received the highest award of the Colorado Bar Association, the Award of Merit. One of the highlights of David’s legal career was coaching the Palmer High School Mock Trial team for four years, including the 2009 State Championship team.
David graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1971 and from St. Louis University School of Law in 1976. He is a past President of the University of Notre Dame Alumni Association and a former member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame. He served in the Peace Corps in the Marshall Islands from 1971-1973. He is the proud father of one daughter, Marianne Johnson, who now lives and works in Virginia.
Judicial Service
Magistrate, Colorado 4th Judicial District
Career Highlights
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Colorado Chapter President, 2016-2017
Colorado Bar Association, President, 2009-2010
Colorado Bar Association, Family Law Section, Chair, 2006-2007
Colorado Bar Association, Legislative Policy Committee, 2009-2012
Fourth Judicial District, Judicial Nominating Commission, 2006-2012
El Paso Bar Association, President, 1990
El Paso Bar Association, Family Law Section, Chair
Current Community and Professional Activities
Board of Directors, El Paso County Bar Foundation
Chair, Fourth Judicial District Judicial Performance Commission
Colorado Supreme Court, Attorney Regulation Committee
Member, Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association
Past Community and Professional Activities
Board of Directors, CASA of the Pikes Peak Region (2013-2019)
Board of Directors, Legal Aid Foundation of the Colorado Bar Association, 2009-2017
Board of Directors, Colorado CASA, 2000-2003
Board of Directors, TESSA, 1988-1994
Board of Directors, Safe Passage, 1995-1998
