Rick Johnson is the Office Managing Partner for the Stoel Rives Salt Lake City office. His practice encompasses estate planning, probate, charitable organizations and giving, individual and corporate taxation, transactional work, real estate and general business planning. Rick is a past member of the Board of Directors of the law firm Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy and a past Section Chair of its Tax Section, a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and a Certified Public Accountant. He served as Chairman of the Utah State Bar Estate Planning and Probate Section from 1989 to 1990 and has served on the Executive Committee of said section for numerous years. Rick was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® and the 2007 Mountain States Super Lawyers directory. He also has an AV rating with Martindale Hubbell.

In addition to the drafting of estate planning documents, developing gifting strategies, preparing estate tax returns, handling probate proceedings and family succession planning, Rick has assisted clients in resolving family disputes and in planning for and assisting family members of protected or incompetent persons in the establishment of conservatorship and the management and protection of the assets of protected persons. He represents small, medium-sized, large and very large estates. Rick has assisted clients in the preparation of prenuptial and antenuptial agreements. He also assists many of his estate planning clients in the organization and administration of charitable trusts, private foundations and other charitable organizations.

Rick also represents various clients in real estate matters, including purchases, sales, simultaneous and deferred like-kind exchanges, leasing, etc., and has represented a number of small to medium-sized companies, providing legal advice on various tax planning matters, including mergers and acquisitions. He has advised and assisted many start-up companies in matters involving organization, taxation, employee benefits and business.

Professional Activities

Member, American Bar Association; member and past Chairman, Estate Planning and Probate Section; member, Executive Committee, Estate Planning and Probate Section; past member, Subcommittee on Unauthorized Practice of Law, Estate Planning Section; past member, Legislative Committee, Estate Planning Section; member, Salt Lake Estate Planning Council; Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel; Member, LDS Development Committee (2002-present).

Community Activities

Volunteer for American Heart Association - Utah Affiliate: Board of Directors (1992-97), Chairman of the Board (1994-95); Intermountain Health Care, Planning Giving Committee; Pioneer Theatre Company - Corporate Chair (Lawyers); Rick has organized and represents numerous tax-exempt organizations and has been involved in numerous tax planning strategies using tax-exempt organizations.

Education

J.D., magna cum laude, Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School, 1978

B.A., magna cum laude, University of Utah, 1974

Admissions

State bar of Utah