Nicolas Johnson, the only son of prominent entertainment attorney Matt Johnson, died July 1 in a car crash. He was 28.
Johnson was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Sherman Oaks at about 1 a.m. at the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Valley Meadow Road, just west of the 405 Freeway, the Canyon News reported. He was driving a Toyota GR86 when his car struck a curb and hit a light pole.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel. As of July 2, the crash remained under investigation.
Born on May 28, 1998, Johnson graduated from Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in 2016 and left Los Angeles to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta, graduating magna cum laude in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
He returned to L.A. after graduation and became a public policy fellow at Netflix, then worked as a staff accountant at Ground Control Business Management. From 2023-25, he was enrolled on a full-tuition Dean’s Scholarship at the Marshall School of Business at USC, where he earned his master’s degree in business administration, concentrating on strategy and technology. He then became a management associate at LexisNexis.
Formerly at Ziffren Brittenham, Matt Johnson is now a partner at Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole, which he co-founded in 2022. His or his new firm’s clients have included Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, the Obamas, Sacha Baron Cohen, Serena Williams, Emma Stone, LeBron James, Adam McKay, Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan.
In 2020, Matt Johnson was living with members of his family in Costa Rica during the pandemic when he accepted a request from L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti to come back to L.A. to help the city coordinate its COVID-19 response with the philanthropic and business community.
In addition to his father, Nicolas’ survivors include his mother, Erika; stepmother Yasmine; sisters Kailey and Malala; brother Maverick; grandmother Genny; grandfathers Edmond and Dennis; and his dog, Leo.
A scholarship fund at Morehouse College in Nicolas’ name will be established. Those who wish to make a gift to honor his legacy and life can begin by clicking here.
Nicolas, his family wrote, “was a teacher. He flew under the radar and could quietly sit at a table, but when he had something to say, it was to elevate the conversation. It was never just to be “right” or showboat — it was to get everyone else curious, too. And if there was something he didn’t understand, he would go off and study it. If there was someone he admired, he would observe how that person moved through the world, examine himself, and then do the work to mold those attitudes into his own spirit.
“Nicolas was also remarkably kind. He cared about each of us, but maybe even more importantly, he cared about all of us. He was interested in world events not just for political reasons, but because he was deeply curious about humans and why we behave the way we do. He was fascinated by the discipline of militaries and read the likes of Winston Churchill. He understood that everything happening today has roots in historical events. With the recent debates around the Middle East, Nicolas decided to start reading the Old Testament to better understand the origins. That’s who he was.
“Nicolas’ biggest passions were driving and shooting. He would go for long drives as often as he could, and you could find him at the shooting range every week. Nicolas also loved being outdoors, whether hiking or rock climbing or scuba diving. He didn’t explore the easy way; he would challenge himself to reach new heights and explore the depth of beauty on this planet. And he was also the first person you would want to be stranded with on a deserted island.
“Nicolas was incredibly close to each of his three siblings. Nicolas was Kailey’s younger brother, but she turned to him for advice on everything from finances to friendships. Any time Maverick made a major school decision, it would start with, “Bubba says I should …” Malala looked up to Nicolas as a protector and relished the moments when their 14-year gap disappeared, bonding over their love of dogs.
“Nicolas will be missed as fiercely as he was loved. We will carry his lessons forward until we meet again.”
Read the full article here
