Melissa Hill

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. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Melissa Hill included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America®, 2010 - 2018 Top rating (AV®) in Martindale Hubbell Other Sources of Feedback About Melissa Hill Included on the 2026North Carolina Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 North Carolina Super Lawyers list 2024 North Carolina Super Lawyers list 2023 North Carolina Super Lawyers list 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers list 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers list 2020 North Carolina Super Lawyers list 2019 North Carolina Super Lawyers list

• Attorney

• North Carolina, 1987
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1988
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of North Carolina, 1987

• North Carolina Advocates for Justice (Member)
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Member)
• Wake County Academy of Criminal Trial Lawyers (Member)
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Member)
• American Bar Association (Member)
• North Carolina Bar Association (Member)
• Wake County Bar Association (Member)
• Fraternities and Sororities
• Phi Beta Kappa