Johan S. Ellefsen Senior Partner

Johan Ellefsen is an aviation and commercial litigation attorney at Montoya Law, P.A., with a practice focused on complex civil claims in both domestic and international courts.

Johan brings extensive litigation experience across a broad range of high-stakes matters. In the aviation arena, he is currently handling several air disaster and turbulence injury cases, including matters arising from the 2024 Air Europa turbulence incident and recent aviation crashes in Latin America. His aviation practice extends to international claims governed by the Montreal Convention, the Warsaw Convention, and other international aviation law treaties. He was part of a team of Montoya Law, P.A. attorneys that investigated, negotiated, and settled the claims of 47 passengers arising from the crash of a commercial passenger jet in Bolivia in 2008. Beyond aviation, Johan and his co-counsel represented plaintiffs in a nationwide class action against Google, Inc., stemming from the use of ReCaptcha technology on various websites.

Prior to joining Montoya Law, P.A., Johan served as a law clerk for the Honorable William G. Young in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, where he drafted opinions across a broad range of federal matters. As Clerk, he was the principal contributor to a decision featured in the New York Times for its defense of the jury system, as well as two decisions on consumer protection violations that the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly recognized among the most significant decisions issued by that court in 2012 and 2013.

Beyond the courtroom, Johan is committed to giving back to his community. He volunteers at the Woods-Mullen Shelter in Boston, Massachusetts, where he serves meals to hundreds of individuals experiencing homelessness.

A man in a suit and tie standing up against a wall.
  • New York Bar, 2013
  • Ministerio de Justicia de Bolivia, 2015

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  • New York Third Appellate Division, 2013
  • Boston University School of Law, Master of Laws (LL.M.)
  • Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Abogado, magna cum laude
  • Colegio Nacional de Abogados de Bolivia, 2013
  • Colegio de Abogados de Cochabamba, Bolivia, 2013
  • The Outstanding American Law Achievement Award, Boston University
  • Graduación por Excelencia Académica, Universidad Mayor de San Simón
  • In Re West Caribbean Airways, reported at 619 F. Supp.2d 1299 (S.D. Gla. 2007)
  • Book: ‘The Sacred Landscape: How the oldest landscape painting can help us understand the meaning of Paleolithic art and myths’ (New York, 2022)
  • Book: ‘Solon’s Atlantis. An Ugaritic Myth Found in Egypt’ (Boston, 2023)
    • The American Rock Art Research Association (ARARA) – Speaker (2022)
    • San Diego Rock Art Symposium – Speaker (2021)
    • English
    • Spanish
    • French