Robert Johnson is a social enterprise entrepreneur who describes himself as a “lawpreneur”. As a lawpreneur he is passionate about closing the racial wealth gap, social equity issues and community economic development. Robert has served his passion for over 28 years by utilizing his experience as serial entrepreneur, community advocate, lawyer and corporate executive to positively transform organizations, communities and individuals.
Robert is the Chief Economic Inclusion Officer and General Counsel for the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. The YWCA is a 140-year-old social enterprise. In this capacity, he is responsible for the management of the organization’s Economic Empowerment Institute. The Economic Empowerment Institute includes the Financial Inclusion Institute, the Innovation and Technology Institute, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), StreetWise and the Workforce Development Institute.
Robert further fuels his passion for entrepreneurship as the founder and Managing Partner of the Solomon Group LLC. The Solomon Group is a global social enterprise management consulting firm that provides expertise in the areas of community economic development, business management, franchise consulting and venture capital for minority and women entrepreneurs. Robert also maintains his legal practice as a Partner in the Chicago office of the law firm of Taylor English Duma LLP. His law practice focuses on corporate law, social enterprise law, minority and women startup ventures, cannabis, diversity and inclusion issues and fractional General Counsel services.
Prior to becoming A lawpreneur, Robert was the Franchise Relations Officer and Ombudsman for McDonald’s Corporation’s Central Division. He was responsible for being an advocate for the McDonald’s System and providing leadership to strengthen the relationship between McDonald’s and its Owner/Operators. He was also responsible for resolving conflicts between the Company and its Owner/Operators and represented all of the Black McDonald's Owner Operators.
Prior to assuming the role as Franchise Relations Officer, Robert was an intrapreneur responsible for the management of McDonald’s $55 Million a year Worker’s Compensation program for all of the domestic corporately owned restaurants. Mr. Johnson created the department in 2006 and implemented programs that saved the corporation over $60 million dollars.
As a complement to his legal and business experience, Robert also has a special emphasis on addressing social equity and social justice issues. Robert regularly consults and provides training and thought leadership to fortune 500 clients on matters of diversity, equity and inclusion. Robert has particular expertise and travels the country to address diversity issues related to the advancement of African American employees and executives and to teach Black Career Development and Intercultural Learning.
Robert also serves on the Co-Chair of Gromentum Labs, a social equity cannabis accelerator and is a member do the Cook County Cannabis Commission. He has been an active advocate for social equity applicants and works tirelessly to promote wealth creation in underserved communities. He has also developed a social enterprise economic model called the Social Determinants of Wealth to address the lack of investment in underserved communities and to promote community economic development.
Mr. Johnson received his Juris Doctorate for the University of Illinois College of law and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Economics and Business Administration, and Sociology and Anthropology from Knox College.
