Johnny Merritt

Johnny Merritt, an equity partner of Hajjar Peters, LLP, is an attorney with over three decades of experience in complex corporate and real estate matters. For the majority of his career, he has also served as outside general counsel for billion dollar companies involved with interstate commerce. A native of West Texas, Merritt credits herding livestock across native pasture with his family for giving him a keen understanding of the importance of teamwork and loyalty in every endeavor. Having served clients for over 30 years, Merritt has seen the advantages and disadvantages of the currently developed methods of legal representation. While maintaining an appreciation for the historic traditions and methods of his profession, Merritt believes that clients’ legal needs can often be better served through providing an on-demand, as-needed fractional general counsel relationship. Merritt’s fractional legal counsel emphasizes authentic attorney-client relationships over monetary gains. This experience has provided him with a vast network of legal professionals ready and able to assist clients. Merritt began his legal career as a litigation attorney, gaining proficiency in attention to detail and effective client communication. He has been a transactional attorney for more than 20 years, concentrating in ongoing business operations, business acquisitions and developments, real estate purchases, sales and development and structuring business organizations. Merritt expanded his legal career to Austin, becoming a partner at the full-service business law firm Hajjar Peters LLP, where he oversees a variety of legal matters. Through his years of legal work, Merritt has also gained experience relating to fiduciary duties of officers, managers, directors, members and shareholders of business organizations. He utilizes this in-depth look at high-trust relationships to direct and connect with his clients. In addition to his legal work, Merritt is also a founder and board member of Keystone Bank, an Austin-based community bank obsessed with delivering the latest in banking technology and first-class customer service. He also serves as the ambassador of The Bless Foundation, a faith-based organization mobilizing people and resources to reach the unreached throughout the world. Merritt received a juris doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law, and lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, DeNise. He is also a member of Austin Ridge Bible Church. For more information, please visit: www.legalstrategy.com.