Our People

For years, I heard my mom, Janis A. Carney, talk about the need for estate planning and the difficulties families encounter when a loved one develops a serious and debilitating illness unexpectedly. Everyone is affected by these arcs in life.  My own family is no exception.  My mother-in-law suffered a stroke in 2009, transforming her from a vibrant woman who could still ski black diamonds at the age of 69, into someone who needed intensive care and assistance with daily living.  Within a few years, it became apparent that her primary care-giver, her husband/my father-in-law, was experiencing dementia, and his ability to care for her, their home, and their finances was beyond his capacity.

During the years that followed, I became acutely aware of the need for trusted and caring advisors in this area, the lack of resources available, and the growing need for attorneys and others who specialize in helping families navigate the process.

I am passionate about helping others and healthcare.  I have a Master’s in Public Health, and went to Law School specifically to work in this field.  In 2006, I began my legal career at Hanson Bridgett LLP, a mid-sized law firm in downtown San Francisco. There I specialized in long-term care and healthcare law, assisting corporate clients with residency agreements, navigating health care reform, medical staff issues, and physician contracting.  When one of my largest clients, Sutter Health, was hiring, and I joined their team, honing my drafting and negotiation skills, while assisting hospitals and physicians with their delivery of services throughout the bay area. With the past 13 years’ legal experience, the transition to join my mom’s law firm seemed like a natural fit, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to expand my expertise to help families.

I earned my J.D. and M.P.H. from Tulane University in New Orleans, and my B.A. from Colgate University in New York.  I am member of the California bar.

I am married, with two young children, a dog, and a home in Oakland. Together, we enjoy being outdoors, and you can usually find us either boating on the water or skiing in the mountains, depending on the season.

Rose Johnson

I am married, with three adult children. When not working, I enjoy spending time with family, staying connected with friends, and traveling, especially to Paris. I have an avid interest in interior design and the arts. I worked as a medical technologist in clinical chemistry, hematology, and research before going to law school, then started my legal career practicing civil litigation. After a few years I chose to be full time mom and did some interior design work on the side. In time I wanted to resume my legal career in a positive and supportive way to help people and families navigate the legal issues that impact their lives, families and future plans. That’s why I chose trust and estate law. I have personally experienced what it means to serve as the trustee of a family trust navigating the legalities of trust administration and understand how important it is for clients to work with a lawyer who understands their wishes, fears and needs to plan for the future.

After admission to the California Bar, I practiced as a litigator representing clients in cases involving legal and medical malpractice, product liability, personal injuries and deaths, construction defects, real estate issues and contract disputes.

I have had the pleasure of working as a trust and estates attorney with Janis A. Carney since 2017. I enjoy working with our clients and the other members of our firm creating the estate plans our clients desire and helping guide them through their long-term planning goals along with assisting them in resolving any issues or problems they are facing.

I earned a law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in Santa Clara, California, and a B.S. in Medical Technology from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska.

ELIZABETH MACKEY-SALL

I received scholarships to study law at Southwestern Law School. I served as a Children's Rights Advocate, Teaching Assistant, Dean's Fellow, Judicial Extern to the Honorable Richard M. Neiter, and Law Review Associate Editor during law school. In my final year at Southwestern, I served as a Law Clerk at the Superior Court, assisting low-income families with difficult family law matters.
I became interested in estate planning during law school. I had the opportunity to study the subject under a very experienced attorney, and decided to focus my own practice on this particular area of the law. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with Public Service Distinction from Southwestern in 2013, and was offered a Law Professor position at Southwestern immediately following law school. I also passed the California State Bar Exam in 2013.
After my teaching fellowship at Southwestern, I started my own estate planning practice. I practiced at the Law Office of Elizabeth Mackey-Sall in the San Francisco Bay Area, until 2020. I also worked as an Estates Attorney at Legato Law and assisted Barulich Dugoni & Suttman with a complex tax case. I joined Ambrecht & Associates in 2020, which later merged into DT Law Partners, LLP. I practiced advanced estate and tax planning at Ambrecht & Associates as well as DT Law Partners, LLP as a Senior Estates Attorney.
I joined the Law Offices of Janis Carney in 2022. I practice estate planning—including for complex matters, trust administration, and probate law. In my free time, I enjoy international travel and exercise of all types.

In 2022, I co-authored “The Future for Family Business Estate Planning: Integrating Family Dynamics in the Planning Process” in the California Tax Lawyer. I serve as the Articles Chair of the California Lawyers Association Estate and Gift Tax Committee.

New Content