Utah State Bar Services
| Publication year | 2022 |
| Pages | 51 |
Utah State Bar Services
Life-Altering Events: Prepare Now to Protect Your Practice, Clients, and Family
by R. Craig Johnson
Contributions by Scotti Hill, Martha Knudson, Linda Webster, and Peter Webster
On Monday, July 18th, lawyer R. Craig Johnson passed away after a battle with cancer. A beloved member of Salt Lake City’s legal community, Craig worked as an expert in the field of mining law for decades, serving as a shareholder at Parsons Behle and Latimer at the time of his diagnosis. Among his many accomplishments was his collaboration, alongside his wife Nancy, with the Utah State Bar’s Well-Being Committee on developing resources for lawyers facing catastrophic events. In a wide-ranging effort drawing upon experts in various fields, the Johnsons were a vital part of the Bar’s November 19, 2021, CLE titled Life Altering Events: Prepare Now to Protect Your Practice, Clients, and Family. To honor Craig’s legacy of service, the following is the first in a series of articles that aims to provide practical insight and strategic advice for lawyers facing catastrophic events. We begin by hearing about Craig’s journey in his own words.
My name is Craig Johnson. I have been diagnosed with a terminal brain cancer called Glioblastoma. It is non-survivable. I share my story to raise awareness of the unique issues cancer, or any life-altering event, can have for ourselves, our colleagues, and our clients.
I’m seventy-one years of age, and live in Park City, Utah. I’m an attorney by profession, specializing in international mining transactions. I’ve had a great career, working on some of the largest projects in the world, and in many places around the globe including the La Oroya project in Peru, the Resolution project in Arizona, and numerous other projects in various parts of the world.
On November 15, 2020, I got up early as usual, and went down t o turn on the TV so as not to wake my wife. When I turned on the TV, I realized that I could not read a single word on the screen. It was like looking at some alien language. I knew they were letters. I just could not fathom what they meant. I struggled for some time, trying to ascertain what was wrong, to no avail. A bit later my wife got up, and readied for her day. I had not yet told her. As the day continued, I finally asked her to take me to Park City Hospital. They did an MRI and found a one cm spot near my occipital lobe. After exploratory surgery and further testing the diagnosis of an aggressive form of glioblastoma was confirmed.
This will kill me, but as I’ve undergone treatment, I realize how lucky my wife and I are in our ability to meet this moment professionally, financially, and emotionally. I’m at the end of my legal career, my wife and I have worked to save our money as much as possible, and we have made thoughtful decisions about our insurance coverage. For example, after I turned...
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