Keela P. Johnson
BOARD OF DIRECTORS – Family Law
Curriculum vitae
EXPERIENCE
Ms. Keela Johnson is a member of the Board of Directors and an equity shareholder at Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C. Ms. Johnson focuses her practice on the areas of matrimonial law, domestic relations, and other matters involving families and children. She helps clients protect the assets they value most. She understands that these matters often require a combination of negotiation, mediation and litigation. Ms. Johnson has extensive experience representing clients in high-asset, complex divorce matters, as well as multi-jurisdictional, national and international custody and parenting time disputes. Ms. Johnson is a trained mediator and arbitrator. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She is also a Fellow of the National Board of Trial Advocacy and a Life Fellow of the Oakland County Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation. She is certified as an AAML Arbitrator.
Ms. Johnson demonstrates genuine care for her clients and their concerns throughout the legal process. She recognizes that divorce is a transitional period and works to help her clients understand the legal steps and create a plan that addresses not only the case’s progression but also the post-judgment phase or wrap-up. She is well regarded by both her professional peers and the judiciary and has been named a Leading Lawyer by dbusiness annually since 2022. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2024 in both family law and family law mediation.
Before practicing law, Ms. Johnson worked as a master’s level mental health therapist. Ms. Johnson’s experience and education as a mental health therapist, combined with her legal experience, have given her the opportunity to assist families and serve as a court-appointed guardian ad litem in complex, contentious parenting time and custody matters in both family and probate court.
When she is not in the office, Ms. Johnson dedicates her time to volunteering and fundraising efforts on behalf of various non-profit organizations, including her former employer, CARE House of Oakland County; Friends of Foster Kids; the Center for Missing and Exploited Children; the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center; and Girl Scouts of America. Every eight weeks, she can be found donating blood at the American Red Cross.
CONTACT KEELA
SUBSCRIBE TO GMH LAW eNEWS
Get alerts and attorney insights on issues and regulations impacting business.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
EXPERIENCE
Ms. Keela Johnson is a member of the Board of Directors and an equity shareholder at Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C. Ms. Johnson focuses her practice on the areas of matrimonial law, domestic relations, and other matters involving families and children. She helps clients protect the assets they value most. She understands that these matters often require a combination of negotiation, mediation and litigation. Ms. Johnson has extensive experience representing clients in high-asset, complex divorce matters, as well as multi-jurisdictional, national and international custody and parenting time disputes. Ms. Johnson is a trained mediator and arbitrator. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She is also a Fellow of the National Board of Trial Advocacy and a Life Fellow of the Oakland County Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation. She is certified as an AAML Arbitrator.
Ms. Johnson demonstrates genuine care for her clients and their concerns throughout the legal process. She recognizes that divorce is a transitional period and works to help her clients understand the legal steps and create a plan that addresses not only the case’s progression but also the post-judgment phase or wrap-up. She is well regarded by both her professional peers and the judiciary and has been named a Leading Lawyer by dbusiness annually since 2022. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2024 in both family law and family law mediation.
Before practicing law, Ms. Johnson worked as a master’s level mental health therapist. Ms. Johnson’s experience and education as a mental health therapist, combined with her legal experience, have given her the opportunity to assist families and serve as a court-appointed guardian ad litem in complex, contentious parenting time and custody matters in both family and probate court.
When she is not in the office, Ms. Johnson dedicates her time to volunteering and fundraising efforts on behalf of various non-profit organizations, including her former employer, CARE House of Oakland County; Friends of Foster Kids; the Center for Missing and Exploited Children; the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center; and Girl Scouts of America. Every eight weeks, she can be found donating blood at the American Red Cross.
Practice Areas
• Family Law
• Family Law Mediation
• Litigation
EDUCATION
• Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude, Upper Iowa University
• Master of Science in guidance and counseling, University of Wisconsin-Stout
• Juris Doctorate, cum laude, Western Michigan Cooley Law School
• Post-Doctorate Executive Leadership, Harvard Law School
Admitted to Practice
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Memberships
• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, MI Chapter, National Delegate
• National Board of Trial Advocacy, Fellow-Family Trial Law
• Oakland County Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
• American Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
• Oakland County Bar Association, Member
• American Bar Association, Family Law Section, Member
• Michigan Inter-Professional Association on Marriage, Divorce and the Family, Member
• Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Oakland County Chapter, Member
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Member
• Oakland County Bar Association Family Court Section, Member & Past Chair
• State Bar of Michigan; Family Law Section, Past Council Member
• American Inns of Court, Oakland County Chapter, Past Barrister
Speaking Engagements
• Presenter: American Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys Advanced Seminar, Michigan Chapter, Strategic Storytelling and Managing the Narrative, May 2026
• Presenter: American Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys Advanced Seminar, Michigan Chapter, When “I Do” Becomes “I Don’t Know”-Incapacity and Divorce, May 2025
• Presenter: American Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys Advanced Seminar, Michigan Chapter, The Fire Extinguisher: Emergency Jurisdiction & the UCCJEA, May 2024
• Presenter: State Bar of Michigan-Family Law Section, Make the GAL (Guardian ad Litem) your PAL, February 2023
• Panelist on GAL and LGAL Issues; Family Law Webinar; Sponsored by the Speaker Law Firm; December 2022 (youtube.com)
• Presenter at State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Section, Mid-Summer Conference, August 2022. “What to Expect from Your GAL and What Your GAL Should Expect from You.”
• Lecturer at Eastern Michigan University, School of Social Work, Winter 2017
• Presenter at State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Section, Mid-Summer Conference, 2015. “Getting the Help You Need: Choosing between a Guardian ad Litem and Parenting Coordinator.”
• Moderator for Oakland County Bar Association; Introduction to Practice Seminar, Family Law, January 2014
• Attorney Mentor for the Professionalism in Action New Student Orientation Program at WMU Cooley Law School. (2016- 2018)
• Guest Lecturer at WMU Cooley Law School in: Evidence, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Family Law (2014- 2018)
• Presenter for Oakland County Bar Association Introduction to Practice Seminar, Family Law, January 2011
Publications
• A Return to Civility in the Legal Profession, Oakland County Bar Association, Laches (2019)
• The New Face in Paternity, Oakland County Bar Association, Laches (2012)
• Think about your Future before Contracting Away your Rights, Oakland County Bar
Association, Laches (2011)
Honors
• dBusiness “Top Lawyer” (2022 – present)
• “AV” Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest ranking by peers for general ethical standards and legal ability
• Certificate of Appreciation, Office of Children’s Issues-United States Dept. of State
Distinctions
“AV” Peer Review Rating
News / blog
21 GMH Attorneys named to 2024 Best Lawyers List
21 Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C. lawyers named to 2024 Best Lawyers list. Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, has named the following lawyers from Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton as The Best Lawyers in...
Keela Johnson selected to become a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Keela Johnson has been selected to become a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers is a nationally distinguished and highly selective group of attorneys considered experts in matrimonial and family law. ...
Keela Johnson Authors Article for State Bar of Michigan
Keela Johnson authored an article for the State Bar of Michigan entitled, "Is there a formula for parenting time?" where she outlines the many nuances of formulating parenting time and resources that can be guides, but not necessarily the rule for both parents and...
Keela Johnson Elected to Family Law Council of the State Bar of Michigan
Keela Johnson was elected to the Family Law Council of the State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Section. Family Law Council members are selected from all Family Section members of the State Bar. The purpose of the Council is to participate in drafting and supporting...
WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL YOUR NEEDS MAY BE.
DETROIT
TROY
LANSING
FLORIDA
UPPER PENINSULA