919-833-3115
JOHN HILL PARKER was born in 1944, in High Point, North Carolina, and was raised in nearby Lexington, North Carolina; in 1966 he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1969. He moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1969 where he was an associate with Sanford, Cannon, Adams & McCullough, until 1973, when he opened his own law firm. In 1976, John was elected a District Court Judge for the Tenth Judicial District in Raleigh, North Carolina. He left the bench in 1982 and he joined forces with Joseph Cheshire and opened the law firm which was Cheshire Parker Schneider & Bryan. The family law section of that firm is now an independent law firm, Parker Bryan Family Law.
John retired from the active practice of law at the end of 2018 although the practicing family lawyers regularly talk to John and consult with him about all family law matters as his nearly 50 years as a lawyer is invaluable.
National and State Professional Recognition
John has been included in the Best Lawyers of America, since 1987. He attained an AV rating by Martindale Hubbell, a listing of all lawyers in the United States. The AV rating is for preeminent lawyers and is voted upon by fellow lawyers and judges. In 1984 he became a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) where he continues to be a member. He served as President of the North Carolina Chapter of the AAML from 1999-2000. He served on AAML National Professionalism in the Practice Committee 1998-1999; and the AAML Ethics Committee 1995-1996; and the AAML Budget Committee 2008-2009. In the inaugural North Carolina Super Lawyers balloting process, which sought the input of every lawyer in the state with over five years of experience in the practice of law, John was selected in 2006 by his professional peers to be among the top 100 lawyers in the state. In 2007, he was named the “Best Family Law Lawyer in the State of North Carolina” by Business North Carolina magazine, the first year that “Family Law” was a category for designation by this process. John is an Emeritus member in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers which is limited to 100 of the top family law trial lawyers from across the United States. It consists of some of the best trial lawyers in America practicing sophisticated and complex family law and matrimonial matters, all members are chosen based upon their recognized litigation skills and courtroom abilities.
Writings and Speeches
John has prepared in excess of twenty five manuscripts for presentations at legal seminars and has been an instructor / speaker for judges and lawyers on various Family Law and Trial Practice topics at Continuing Legal Education seminars, both for the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers and the North Carolina Bar Association since 1978. In addition, he served as an instructor for District Court Judges in Civil Procedure, Evidence, Criminal Law, and Domestic Law, for the Institute of Government, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina from 1978 until 1982.
Positions held with the State of North Carolina and the North Carolina Bar Association
Chairman of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association 1984 -1985, Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Committee Family Law Section, North Carolina Bar Association 1986-1988 and 1996-1998. He served continuously as a Member of the CLE Committee from 1979 to 2010, planning Family Law CLE programs. He served as a Member of the Trial Practice CLE Curriculum Committee, North Carolina Bar Association, 2003-2007, served as Member, Family Law, Estate Planning, Elder Law & Tax CLE Curriculum Committee, North Carolina Bar Association 1994-2003. Member, Family Law Court Advisory Committee for Wake County District Court 1982-1998. Member, Wake Bar Association Ethics and Professionalism Committee 1995-1998. Editor, North Carolina Bar Association Family Law Section Newsletter 1982-1988. He has served as a North Carolina Bar Association Family Law Section Council Member, for 3, three year terms since the inception of the Family Law Section. He served as chair of the Family Law Section Membership Committee from 2009-2011.