Overview

R. Scott Johnston is a partner in Holland & Knight's New York office. His practice focuses on trusts and estates law. Mr. Johnston is a member of the Private Wealth Services Group and counsels high-net-worth individuals with respect to their estate plans and related estate, gift and generation skipping transfer tax issues. He is experienced in drafting a wide range of instruments including wills, bypass trusts, QTIP trusts, QPRT trusts, QDOT trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), split dollar life insurance agreements, revocable trusts, charitable remainder and lead trusts, foundations in trust and corporate form, trusts for minors, asset protection trusts, family limited partnership agreements, living wills, health care proxies and durable powers of attorney. He also assists taxpayers with unreported accounts come into compliance.

Mr. Johnston represents individual and corporate fiduciaries with regard to their responsibilities in the administration of trusts and estates and matters in Surrogate's Court, including probate and administration proceedings, accounting proceedings and construction proceedings.

Mr. Johnston is co-editor of Holland & Knight's Private Wealth Services newsletter.  He has lectured to numerous groups on estate planning topics.

Credentials

Education
  • Vermont Law School, J.D.
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., Economics and Political Science
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • New York
Memberships
  • Member of Rockefeller University Committee on Trust & Estate Gift Plans
  • New York State Bar Association, Trusts and Estates Law Section, Committee on Legislation
  • New York City Bar Association, Trusts, Estates & Surrogate's Courts Committee
  • New York Presbyterian Hospital, Planned Giving Advisory Council
  • Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
Honors & Awards
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News