Practice Areas

Real Estate Law

We help clients with virtually all legal issues surrounding the ownership, purchase, sale, financing, leasing and development of both commercial and residential real estate.  These issues include landlord/tenant issues, real estate purchase agreements and closings, boundary disputes, adverse possession claims, title opinions, title insurance, land use and zoning matters, partition actions, covenants for developments, easements, condominiums, townhomes and title corrective measures like quiet title actions.  Notably, attorney Scott Johnston is certified as a Real Property Law Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association and is the Douglas County Examiner of Titles. 

Business Law.

Johnston Law Office handles business entity formations (including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability limited partnerships, and homeowner associations), contractual agreements among owners of businesses (such as Buy Sell Agreements, Shareholder Control Agreements, Operating Agreements and Partnership Agreements), business purchases and sales, commercial leases, review and drafting of a vast array of business contracts, business succession planning, and succession of the family cabin. 

Estate Planning

As experienced estate planning attorney’s, Kelly and Brit help individuals and families plan for both incapacity and death through the preparation of Wills, Revocable Trusts, Irrevocable Trusts, Transfer on Death Deeds, instructions for beneficiary designations on applicable assets, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, Declaration of Gifts, and guardianship/conservatorship matters.  They draft specific estate planning documents for individuals in light of each person’s intent, family dynamics, estate tax issues, and desire to minimize probate and other stresses that can occur after a loved one becomes infirm or passes away. 

Probate and Trust Administration.

Johnston Law Office helps survivors manage the process of administering a decedent’s estate.  The steps in that process depend on the nature of the decedent’s estate plan.  We can also assist with processes that would avoid the need for probate.  We work closely and empathetically with the Personal Representative, Trustee, and family members of a decedent to help ease the stress that can arise in handling the assets and indebtedness of the decedent. 

Lender/Creditor Rights and Remedies.

Johnston Law Office assists its bank clients and other creditor clients in exercising their rights upon a borrower’s default, including but not limited to mortgage foreclosures, levies on personal property collateral, preparation of mechanics’ liens, and the foreclosure of mechanics’ liens. We also assist with loan closings, from drafting loan documents to examining title to real estate collateral and preparing the corresponding title opinion or title insurance.