It is with a heavy heart that I report the passing of John A. Wallace. The tribute below was authored by John’s colleagues at Djuric Spratt. On a personal note, back in 1993, John was a huge supporter of my nomination to be an ACTEC Academic Fellow. I will always be grateful for his support and mentorship.
We mourn the passing of our colleague and friend, John A. Wallace, who passed away on November 15, 2023. John was born on June 24, 1937, in Hartford, Connecticut. A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, John began his law practice in Atlanta with the firm of Hansell Post Brandon & Dorsey (now Jones Day). He joined King & Spalding in 1965 where he practiced for over 45 years. In 2011, John created a boutique trusts and estates firm, which became known as Wallace & Morrison, LLP. Our firm was honored when John and his colleagues joined us in 2022.
John was a nationally recognized leader in trusts and estates and related areas of the law. He was a Past President of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council, a Past Chair of the Fiduciary Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, and a Past President of the Southern Pension Conference. On a national and international level, John was a Past President of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a Past Chair of the Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of the American Bar Association, a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, and an Academician and former Executive Council Member of the International Academy of Trust and Estate Law.
John was a sought after and dedicated leader in many educational and charitable organizations over the course of his career. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Morehouse College, Southern Catholic College, The Westminster Schools, the Loomis Chafee School in Windsor, Connecticut, and the Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut. He also served on the Boards of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra League, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the Atlanta History Center, the Georgia Historical Society, and Piedmont Healthcare, Inc.
John will be remembered for his keen intellect, vast reservoir of energy, clever sense of humor, and constant professionalism. Those of us who had the privilege of practicing law with John will especially remember him as a generous mentor, trusted colleague, and loyal friend. Having known him, we are not just better lawyers, we are better people.
May he rest in peace.