Heather Johnston

Managing attorney

hjohnston@sapphire.law | (916) 546-5023 | vCard

Heather Johnston founded Sapphire Law Group in 2017, after practicing law for many years at a boutique regional law firm in Sacramento. Heather first became interested in estate planning in law school, where she earned the Witkin Award in Wills & Trusts and received a Concentration in Taxation. Over the years that she represented clients in all facets of real estate transactions, Heather developed a specific focus on planning and distributions from family trusts comprised of complex real estate portfolios and entity interests. Today, Heather uses this specific background to counsel clients with complex real estate planning, business succession planning and property tax planning opportunities. Heather has been practicing law for 17 years, and is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Despite her love for engaging in complex planning opportunities, and to collaborate with her client’s financial advisors, accountants, and insurance advisors, Heather finds her work directly with her clients to be the most gratifying. The opportunity to truly make a difference by listening to her clients, learning about their values, their worries, and to be able to provide peace of mind is what matters most. Heather has shaped the mission and the culture of the firm to place the interests of our clients first, to be exceptional listeners, and to leverage technology so that the Firm’s legal staff can focus where it matters - on creating comprehensive and thoughtful estate and business plans for our clients, and guiding them through the administration of a loved one’s trust or estate - using reliable processes and without the distraction of traditional law firm inefficiencies. 

Among other career achievements, Heather was selected as one of only 10 attorneys in the country to serve as a 2015-2017 Fellow for the Real Property Trust and Estates Section of the American Bar Association and continues to serve the Section as the chair of several committees within the organization. Heather is committed to engaging in the profession of the practice of law, to improving the experience of clients seeking legal services and to creating a culture of curiosity and responsibility at Sapphire Law Group. One of her guiding principles is that people will not remember what you told them, they will not remember the details of their estate plan, but they will always remember the way that you made them feel.

In her free time, Heather is an avid reader, boater, paddle boarder, novice baker, enthusiastic gym rat, and spectator at her children’s swim meets. She is a wife, sister, business owner, auntie and a mother to two beautiful girls and she passionately works to support small businesses in her community, and is committed to a legacy of leaving this world better than she found it.

EDUCATION

J.D., with distinction, University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law

Concentration in Taxation

Editor, McGeorge Law Review

Legislative Staff Writer, McGeorge Law Review

B.S., University of California, San Diego

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

"AV® Preeminent™" Rating by Martindale-Hubbell

Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2014 – 2016 and Super Lawyers, 2019 – 2023

Top Lawyer, Sacramento Magazine, 2015 – 2023

Best of the Bar, Sacramento Business Journal, 2015 – 2017

Witkin Award for Wills and Trusts and Antitrust Law

Traynor Honor Society

MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS

American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust and Estate Section

Member, Special Committee on Career and Wellness

Vice-Chair, Emotional and Psychological Issues in Estate Planning Committee

Past Chair, Solo and Small Firm Committee

Past Member, Diversity and Inclusion

Past Member, Membership

Past-Chair, Commercial Real Estate Transactions Group

Past-Chair, Joint Law Practice Management Group

Past-Chair, Title Insurance and Survey Committee

Former Fellow

American Bar Association, Business Section, Member

State Bar of California, Trust and Estate Section, Member

The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, Member

Women Lawyers of Sacramento, Past Board Member, 2014-2019

Urban Land Institute 2010-2017, Young Leaders Group, Sacramento Chapter Board Member

Sacramento Professional Advisors Network, Folsom Member and Speaker Chair

Women on Course of Orange County, Member

Financial Planning Association of Orange County, Allied Professional Member

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Setting Up Your Business the Right Way: Entity Structures that Scale, Invested. Conference, May, 2024

Onboarding Clients, PFAC 29th Annual Educational Conference, May, 2024

Setting Up Your Business, PFAC 29th Annual Educational Conference, May, 2024

How to Build a Real Estate Law Practice, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, 2023

Unlocking the Stress Cycle in 2023, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, 2023

Estate Planning 101, In House Presentations, 2023

Options, Opportunities and Best Practices for Conducting Estate Planning Signings Remotely

• Presented to Sacramento County Bar Association, 2020

• Presented to Placer County Bar Association, 2020

• Presented to El Dorado County Bar Association, 2020

Funding Property into Revocable Living Trusts: Special Considerations and Forms, The 38th Annual Tax & Estate Planning Forum, 2018

Transfers During Life and Inter Vivos Trusts (portion of Estate Planning and Administration: The Complete Guide), National Business Institute (NBI), 2018

Estate Planning Basics, Cal Trans Employee Public Safety Week, 2018

A New Workflow: Leveraging Technology in Your Solo and Small Firm Practice, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, Spring Symposia, 2018

Funding Property into Revocable Living Trusts: Special Considerations and Forms, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, Spring Symposia, 2018

Navigating Title Insurance and Survey Issues in Purchase and Sale Agreements, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, CLE Webinar, 2017

Letters of Intent in Leasing and Purchase and Sale Transactions, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, CLE Webinar, 2017

Navigating Title Insurance and Survey Issues in Purchase and Sale Agreements, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, Spring Symposia, 2017

2016 Year in Review: Real Property, California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), 2017

Career Choice Series: Commercial Real Estate Law, American Bar Association, Legal Career Central, 2016

Dual Agency Dilemmas and Disclosures, Various Commercial Brokerage Houses, 2014

Commissions and Broker Liability, Commercial Division of the California Association of Realtors (SAR), 2014

Commercial Condominium Conversions, Various In-House Presentations, 2011