John Sheftall, a Partner in Hall Booth Smith’s Columbus offices, concentrates his practice in fiduciary law including estate planning, estate administration, and fiduciary litigation. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, serves as a Director of SunTrust Bank in Columbus, and is a former Trustee of the St. Francis Hospital Foundation.
John was admitted to the Georgia State Bar in 1983. He was born in Macon, Georgia, and received his Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia in 1980. He went on to earn both his Juris Doctor and Master of Arts from the University of Virginia.
Prior to joining HBS, John practiced law in Columbus with Hatcher, Stubbs, Land, Hollis and Rothschild, LLP for over 21 years. Before that, he practiced law in Atlanta where he was active in both the Fiduciary Section of the State Bar and the Atlanta Estate Planning Council. He currently chairs both the Wills, Trusts, & Estate Administration and the Fiduciary Litigation practice groups for HBS.
John is passionate about local history, historic preservation, neighborhood revitalization, and community planning in Columbus. He has served on a number of local and regional non-profit boards, including the Georgia Historical Society in Savannah, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation in Atlanta, and the Georgia Legal History Foundation.
He is Past President of Historic Columbus Foundation, Past Chairman of Historic Linwood Foundation, and Past President of MidTown, Inc., an organization responsible for the revitalization of older neighborhoods in Columbus. He currently serves as a Director of the Historic Chattahoochee Commission.
John is active in the Rotary Club of Columbus and a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, where he has served at the parish level as a Vestry member and Senior Warden, as well as at the diocesan level as a delegate and task force member. He has lectured widely at various fiduciary law seminars throughout Georgia, and speaks regularly before historical groups and organizations.
Experience
Corporate & Partnership
John’s corporate practice includes representation of many Columbus-area and Georgia businesses. He is also involved in the banking and healthcare community, serving as a Director of SunTrust Bank in Columbus.
Fiduciary Litigation
John concentrates his practice in fiduciary law including estate planning, estate administration, and fiduciary litigation. He has been actively involved in the Fiduciary Section of the State Bar of Georgia and the Atlanta Estate Planning Council. He has lectured frequently at fiduciary law seminars throughout Georgia.
Recognition
•Top Lawyers, Trusts & Estates, GaBiz Magazine, 2026
•The Best Lawyers in America , Best Lawyers, 2024-2026
•Awarded in: Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates
•AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
•Georgia Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2005-2022
•Lawyer of the Year, Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Columbus, GA; Best Lawyers; 2015, 2017, 2019
•Lawyer of the Year, Trusts and Estates, Columbus, GA; Best Lawyers; 2014
•fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
Presentations
•Postmortem Planning with Disclaimers
60th Annual Estate Planning Institute; Athens, Georgia; 2015
•When Transfers of Property Involve Death and Taxes: A Probate Primer for Real Estate Practitioners
Residential Real Estate Conference; Atlanta, Georgia; 2013
•Postmortem Planning with Disclaimers
Georgia Federal Tax Conference; Atlanta, Georgia; 2011
•Statutory Modifications: How and How Hard
56th Annual Estate Planning Institute; Athens, Georgia; 2011
•When to Hold Them, When to Fold Them: The Charms and Challenges of a Fiduciary Litigation Practice
Fiduciary Law Institute, St. Simons, Georgia, 2008
•Negotiating the Probate Court: Procedures and Pitfalls in a Fiduciary Practice
Fiduciary Law Institute, St. Simons, Georgia, 2006
•Program Chair
46th Annual Estate Planning Institute, Athens, Georgia, 2001
•Re-Examining the Bottom Line: Commissions, Fees and Compensation for Fiduciaries and Their Attorneys
Fiduciary Law Institute, St. Simons, Georgia, 1999
•Multi-Generational Estate Planning
Columbus State University, 4th Annual Retirement and Estate Planning Seminar, Columbus, Georgia, 1998
•Practical Uses of Charitable Remainder Trusts
Columbus State University, Creative (But Practical) Techniques for Effective Retirement and Estate Planning, Columbus, Georgia, 1997
•Estate Planning Options Involving Retirement Funds
Columbus State University, Retirement Planning to Maximize Benefits for the Retiree and Other Family Members, Columbus, Georgia, 1996
•Use of Wills, Trusts and Other Transfer Techniques
Columbus College, Planning for Retirement and the Transfer of Wealth to the Next Generation, Columbus, Georgia, 1995
•Special Issues in Trust Drafting: Retained Powers and Removal Powers
40th Annual Estate Planning Institute, Athens, Georgia, 1995
•Planning for Disability
Basic Fiduciary Practice, Atlanta, Georgia, 1992-1993
•Georgia’s New Rule Against Perpetuities
Fiduciary Law Institute, St. Simons, Georgia, 1990
•Probate and Estate Administration
Bridge the Gap, Athens, Georgia, 1989 & 1991
•The Marital Deduction: Drafting and Funding with Individuals in Mind and an Assessment of the Unlimited Marital Deduction Enacted in 1981
32nd Estate Planning Institute, Athens, Georgia, 1987
In the Press
27 HBS Partners Recognized as 2026 Top Lawyers by GaBiz Magazine
January 29, 2026
Hall Booth Smith is pleased to announce that 27 of the firm’s partners have been recognized as 2026 “Top Lawyers” by GaBiz Magazine in its Winter issue.
Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely
respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.
