Melissa Hill

Melissa Hill

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010
Awarded Practice Areas
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Awarded Practice Areas
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Melissa Hill
Melissa Hill
Raleigh, NC
Works at
Tharrington Smith LLP

18 Best Lawyers awards

Tharrington Smith LLP logo

Biography

Melissa Hill is a native of Asheville, North Carolina. She received her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1984. She also attended law school at UNC, where she was admitted to the Order of the Coif, was on the North Carolina Law Review and received her J.D. with honors in 1987.

Ms. Hill is the author of Tennessee v. Garner - The Use of Deadly Force to Arrest as an Unreasonable Search and Seizure, 65 N.C.L. Rev. 155 (1986); and Branch Banking & Trust Company v. Wright - Creditors Rights to Entireties Property Awarded to Nondebtor Spouse Upon Divorce, 64 N.C.L. Rev. 1471 (1986).

Ms. Hill joined Tharrington Smith in 1987 and practices criminal and civil litigation in state and federal courts in North Carolina as well as in other states. She has earned the top rating (AV®) in Martindale Hubbell. She is a member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Wake County Academy of Criminal Trial Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the American, North Carolina, and Wake County bar associations, and formerly served as an officer on the North Carolina Bar Association's Criminal Justice Council.

  • Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America®, since 2010

  • AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated Lawyer, Martindale Hubbell

  • Member - Order of the Coif

    Works at
    Tharrington Smith LLP

    18 Best Lawyers awards

    Tharrington Smith LLP logo

    Locations

    Languages

    • English

    Education

    • The University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., graduated 1987
    • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA, graduated 1984

    Bar Admissions

    • North Carolina, North Carolina State Bar

    Affiliations

    • American Bar Association - Member
    • Association of Trial Lawyers of America - Member
    • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Member
    • North Carolina Advocates for Justice - Member
    • North Carolina Bar Association - Member
    • Wake County Academy of Criminal Trial Lawyers - Member
    • Wake County Bar Association - Member

    Client Testimonials

    Awards & Focus

    Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
    • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
    Awards:
    • Best Lawyers in America (since 2010)
    • AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated Lawyer, Martindale Hubbell
    • Member - Order of the Coif

    Case History

    Transactions
    • Publications
    Tennessee v. Garner - The Use of Deadly Force to Arrest as an Unreasonable Search and Seizure, 65 N.C.L. Rev. 155 (1986)
    Branch Banking & Trust Company v. Wright - Creditors Rights to Entireties Property Awarded to Nondebtor Spouse Upon Divorce, 64 N.C.L. Rev. 1471 (1986)

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