Helping Small Businesses Win Big Contracts feat. Amber Johnson

Jul 15
3 min read

Updated: Jul 24

Amber Johnson is an attorney whose legal career has evolved from civil rights and compliance work into helping small businesses compete for multimillion-dollar airport contracts. In this episode, Amber shares how her law degree opened unexpected doors, why transportation is full of legal careers beyond aviation law, and how lawyers can use their skills to build stronger organizations and stronger communities.

About This Episode

Background

Amber Johnson didn't become a lawyer because someone in her family encouraged her. In fact, she didn't know any lawyers growing up. She simply knew from an early age that she loved to argue and envisioned herself becoming an attorney. That determination eventually led her to law school and a career that has continually expanded beyond traditional legal practice.

"I think my whole life, my family says that I always just wanted to argue," shares Amber Johnson on You Are A Lawyer.

Today, Amber serves as the Assistant Vice President of Small Business at an airport, where she helps ensure local and small businesses have meaningful opportunities to participate in major airport contracts. While the title may not sound like a traditional legal role, legal analysis, regulatory interpretation, policy drafting, and strategic thinking remain central to everything she does.

Why Law School

For Amber, law school was always the destination, even if she didn't fully understand what the journey would involve. She entered believing it was the right path but quickly discovered that legal education demanded more resilience than she had anticipated.

"It was the most stressful time of my life," explains Amber Johnson on Episode 253 of You Are a Lawyer.

Despite the challenges, law school gave Amber the analytical framework that continues to shape her career. Although she no longer practices in the traditional sense, the ability to interpret statutes, understand regulations, draft policies, and solve complex problems allows her to serve organizations in ways she never imagined while sitting in the classroom.

What Can You Do with a Law Degree

Amber's career demonstrates that legal work extends far beyond courtrooms and law firms. At the airport, she interprets federal regulations, drafts policies, develops partnership agreements, oversees compliance programs, and helps structure opportunities that connect major infrastructure projects with local businesses. Her legal education helps organizations operate more effectively while creating economic opportunity throughout her community.

"Your law degree will open doors that you never thought it would open," shares Amber Johnson on Episode 253 of You Are a Lawyer.

Her work also highlights an often-overlooked side of transportation law. Airports function like small cities, requiring contracts, vendors, procurement, compliance, and countless legal processes behind the scenes. Amber's career shows that lawyers can have tremendous impact without ever stepping into a courtroom.

Lawyer Side Hustles

Although Amber no longer practices law full time, she intentionally maintains her law licenses while continuing to grow her leadership career. Along the way, she has discovered that the skills lawyers develop are remarkably transferable across industries.

"Think about what you're passionate about and then find a role that fits that,” Amber Johnson expresses in Episode 253 of You Are a Lawyer.

Amber's professional journey has taken her from diversity, equity, and inclusion work to civil rights compliance, public transportation, and now airport operations. Each transition built upon the last, proving that legal careers don't have to follow a straight line. Instead of limiting herself to one definition of success, she continues finding new ways to combine law, leadership, and community impact.