Randall V. Johnston
2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 500 West
Washington, D.C. 20037
Government review of foreign investment for national security reasons is an increasingly important part of a growing number of deals. Coordinating filings across multiple jurisdictions can be essential to successful deal closings. I have guided clients through these regulatory processes in multiple jurisdictions in connection with dozens of deals. I am dedicated to minimizing the impact of national security and trade control issues on my clients’ transactions. Randall Johnston is a partner in Vinson & Elkins’ National Security Reviews (CFIUS) and Export Controls & Economic Sanctions practice group, with years of experience guiding clients through national security and investment law processes prior to closing international transactions.
Randall has advised on thousands of transactions, including in national security reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), as well as on matters relating to sanctions, export controls, customs, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Freedom of Information Act. Her recent CFIUS experience includes negotiating complex National Security Agreements with CFIUS involving Chinese-owned acquirers.
Randall has become a leading practitioner on global laws relating to national security review and foreign investment (or FDI) filings triggered by cross-border transactions, and is noted for efficiently quarterbacking FDI filings across multiple jurisdictions, including for dozens of multi-million and multi-billion dollar transactions. She also provides practical structural advice in relation to CFIUS and FDI matters. In particular, Randall is known for providing “a very high level of strategic support” (Legal 500 2022).
Experience Highlights
Francisco Partners and TPG in $6.5 billion take-private of New Relic
I.G. Capital in its acquisition of Segers
CWT US, LLC in agreement to be acquired by Global Business Travel Group in $570 million transaction
Industrial Growth Partners in the sale of Des-Case
Wynnchurch Capital in the sale of Midland Industries
STG in $1.4 billion take-private of Avid Technology
Francisco Partners and Forcepoint in sale of its G2CI Business to TPG
Quotient Technology, Inc. in $430 million business combination with Neptune Retail Solutions
Vector Capital in Acquisition of Riverbed Technology
Credentials
- New York University School of Law, J.D., 2013
- Swarthmore College, B.A., 2009
- Law clerk to the Honorable Kristine G. Baker, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
- Chambers Global, “Up and Coming” in International Trade: CFIUS Experts (USA), 2025
- Chambers USA, “Up and Coming” in International Trade: CFIUS Experts (Nationwide), 2024
- Legal 500 U.S., “Next Generation Partner” in International Trade, CFIUS, 2024; “Rising Star” in International Trade, CFIUS, 2022 and 2023; Dispute Resolution: International Trade, 2021
- American Lawyer’s Litigation Daily, April 2021 – Runner-Up Litigators of the Week
- Arkansas
- District of Columbia
- Missouri
- New York
- Spanish
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 13, 2025
- Deals & CasesJanuary 27, 2025
- InsightJanuary 23, 2025
V&E Export Controls Update
- InsightDecember 5, 2024
- InsightDecember 5, 2024
V&E National Security Update
- Event RecapSeptember 27, 2024
- Deals & CasesSeptember 13, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsJune 6, 2024
- InsightMay 3, 2024
V&E Export Controls Update | Published by The Global Trade Law Journal in the September-October 2024 Issue