Thomas E. Johnson

As the first lawyer to set up the office of an international law firm in Kazakhstan, Tom Johnson experienced firsthand the chaotic years after disintegration of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the command economy, and the start of the open market economy. For several years he contributed articles to the weekly English-language newspaper The Almaty Herald, many of which are collected in this book. Tom grew up in South Dakota. He obtained his bachelor's degree at Macalester College in St. Paul,...See more

As the first lawyer to set up the office of an international law firm in Kazakhstan, Tom Johnson experienced firsthand the chaotic years after disintegration of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the command economy, and the start of the open market economy. For several years he contributed articles to the weekly English-language newspaper The Almaty Herald, many of which are collected in this book. Tom grew up in South Dakota. He obtained his bachelor's degree at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and his doctor of law degree from Harvard Law School. Before coming to Almaty, Tom practiced law in New York City and London. He now lives in England with his wife and daughter. See less