Lauren Ottaway Johnson

Protecting wealth and preparing for the future

While Lauren Johnson serves an array of clients on a variety of matters, she focuses her practice on sophisticated estate planning for high-net-worth individuals and families, with particular experience in estate tax planning, gift tax planning, generation-skipping transfer tax planning and business succession planning. She works closely with clients whose estates require advanced tax strategies, helping them preserve wealth while planning ahead for future generations and ever-evolving tax laws.

Building long-term relationships with families

Rather than viewing estate planning as a one-time transaction, Lauren partners with clients throughout their lives as their families, businesses and financial circumstances change. She believes that understanding family dynamics and maintaining open communication matters as much as—and often more—drafting effective legal documents. This enables her to guide clients through both the legal and personal aspects of wealth planning.

Developing sophisticated tax and charitable planning strategies

Lauren brings particularly deep experience in estate tax returns, charitable planning and wealth transfer strategies. She advises clients on trusts, private foundations and other charitable-giving vehicles, helping them accomplish meaningful philanthropic goals while maximizing available tax advantages.

She also counsels closely held business owners on succession planning, structuring ownership transitions that protect family businesses while addressing complex tax considerations. As tax laws continue to change, Lauren helps clients understand new regulations, evaluate available planning opportunities, and make informed decisions without becoming overwhelmed by constant legislative actions.

Helping clients avoid future disputes

Although Lauren doesn’t handle litigation, she approaches every estate plan with an eye toward preventing future conflict. She carefully drafts documents, identifies potential areas of risk, and works with families to address difficult issues before they become disputes.

When litigation does become necessary, Lauren collaborates closely with the firm’s litigators, providing the planning background and tax perspective needed to support clients through the process. Her proactive approach helps many families avoid unnecessary conflict while preserving both relationships and assets.

Investing in the community she serves

Lauren’s commitment to charitable planning extends naturally into her own community involvement. She has long dedicated her time and leadership to organizations that strengthen Oklahoma City through philanthropy, education and the arts, reflecting the same belief that guides her work with clients—that thoughtful planning and meaningful giving can create lasting benefits for future generations.

Her community involvement also strengthens the relationships she builds with clients. By remaining actively engaged in the organizations and causes that matter to many of the families she represents, Lauren develops a deeper understanding of the people and community she serves, allowing her to provide practical, personal counsel grounded in trust and shared commitment.