Kristin N. Johnson

Kristin N. Johnson Occupation professor of law, former regulator Employer Emory University School of Law Location Atlanta, Georgia, United States LinkedIn Profile Website law.emory.edu Kristin N. Johnson is an academic and financial markets regulator known for her service as a commissioner at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and as Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law at Emory University School of Law. She specializes in financial markets regulation, compliance, risk management, and corporate governance, with significant focus on issues arising from emerging financial technologies and market structure challenges. Background Johnson began her professional career as an analyst in the asset management division of a major financial institution, gaining early exposure to the complexities of asset managers and institutional finance. Subsequently, she joined Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where she was a corporate associate in both the New York and London offices. During her time at Simpson Thacher, Johnson worked on transactions involving hedging, swaps, settlement, and compliance for global banks and proprietary trading firms, contributing to both advisory and transactional matters in a rapidly changing regulatory environment. Johnson transitioned into academia, holding endowed professorships at Tulane University Law School, where she served as McGlinchey Stafford Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Research. She led the financial market stability program at the Center for Law and the Economy, engaging faculty and students in interdisciplinary research and public policy dialogue around risk management and central counterparties. Her academic contributions include research on distributed digital ledger technologies, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and artificial intelligence applications in financial transactions and settlement. Before joining Emory University, Johnson served as a professor of law at Seton Hall and Washington & Lee University. She taught courses spanning fintech, futures, options, derivatives, contract specifications, and ethical leadership, and was known for her expertise on market structure and financial regulation. Leading U.S. journals have cited her research and scholarship, and she has frequently presented at conferences on market risk, investor protection, and regulatory reform. In September 2021, Johnson was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden to serve as CFTC Commissioner. She was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and sworn in on March 30, 2022. Johnson was part of a historic class of CFTC commissioners that included four women nominees. During her tenure at the CFTC, she focused on market oversight, investor protections, and regulatory frameworks for digital assets, ESMA, benchmark administration, and swap dealers. Johnson contributed to policy formation addressing the risk and regulation of cryptocurrencies, custody, and digital assets, participating in high-stakes testimony before Congress and representing the commission in international regulatory discussions. On August 26, 2025, Johnson announced that she would depart from the CFTC on Sept. 3, leaving the agency with only one commissioner, Acting Chairman Caroline Pham. In a farewell press release, Johnson called for the CFTC to receive more resources to support an expanded mission regulating digital assets, on top of its traditional market surveillance and enforcement. After completing her term at the CFTC, Johnson announced her intent to return to academia, resuming her role as professor of law and continuing her research and teaching in financial regulation. Background: Key Companies and Firms Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP – corporate associate, advisory and transactional work Tulane University Law School – professor of law, associate dean, program director Emory University School of Law – endowed professor, faculty researcher Seton Hall University – professor of law Washington & Lee University – associate professor JP Morgan – banking law Goldman Sachs - analyst, asset management Education Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science in International Economics from Georgetown University. She also has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School. She served as a senior editor of the Michigan Law Review and received the Clara Belfield and Henry Bates International Research Fellowship. Risk Management While at the CFTC, Johnson played a pivotal role in shaping regulatory policies around risk management, market surveillance, and consumer protection. Her work included oversight of the match engine, open interest, and price discovery functions in regulated futures and options markets. Johnson has argued for robust risk frameworks in response to the transformative impact of digital assets, blockchain, and algorithmic trading on global financial markets. Controversies Johnson’s tenure as CFTC commissioner occurred during a period of accelerated market innovation and increased public scrutiny of cryptocurrencies, bitcoin, and price discovery mechanisms. She was involved in agency efforts to enforce regulations against fraud and manipulation in emerging digital asset classes and advocated for greater transparency in market practices. Although not personally embroiled in controversy, Johnson’s role in expanding CFTC authority over new asset classes drew criticism from some market participants concerned about regulatory overreach. The historical context reflects the balance between safeguarding investor interests and fostering innovation within evolving financial markets. Video References

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