John Cleveland Hill Esq. - Alpharetta, GA
Attorney at Georgia Legacy Law Group, LLC
Wills, Trusts & Charitable Planning Lawyers in Alpharetta, GA
11300 Atlantis Place Suite A Alpharetta, GA 30022
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
22
Years
Experience
Alpharetta Wills, Trusts & Charitable Planning Lawyer
Updated: 05/04/2026
Areas of Practice
- Wills, Trusts & Charitable Planning
- Probate & Estate Administration
- Wealth Preservation and Asset Protection
- Guardianships & Conservatorships
- Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements
Litigation: 15%
Attorney Information
Overview
Inspired by Family. Dedicated to Yours.
For John Cleveland (“Cleve”) Hill, estate planning is more than a profession—it’s a calling shaped by personal experience. When Cleve was a small child, his paternal grandfather, a successful inventor and entrepreneur, passed away unexpectedly—thankfully, leaving behind a solid estate plan. In the years that followed, Cleve watched his father carefully administer his grandfather’s estate and trust as it provided for his beloved grandmother for the final 31 years of her life. The impact of his grandfather’s thorough planning was evident, providing stability and support following a sudden loss.
That early experience left a lasting impression. Cleve was fascinated by the process and saw firsthand how good planning could protect loved ones and create peace of mind for a family. It was this inspiration that set him on the path to becoming one of Georgia’s most trusted estate planning and probate attorneys.
Today, Cleve brings that same sense of care and dedication to every client he serves. Recognized by peers as a leader in his field, Cleve is honored to help families secure their legacies and provide for the people they love most.
Cleve is frequently invited to share his knowledge at seminars throughout metro Atlanta, making complex topics like wills, trusts, and asset protection accessible and understandable.
Cleve’s excellence has been celebrated by his legal peers and the community:
- Georgia Trend Magazine’s “Legal Elite” in Wills/Estates/Taxes
- Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (2017, 2018) and Super Lawyers honoree (2023)—an honor reserved for the top 5% of attorneys statewide
- Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce “10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch” (2013)
Cleve’s journey began at one of Atlanta’s most prestigious law firms, Powell Goldstein Frazer & Murphy (now international law firm Bryan Cave) where he honed his skills in financial restructuring. But it was his desire to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives that led him to join attorney Phill Bettis in 2007 to focus exclusively on estate planning, probate, guardianships, wealth preservation, asset protection, and special needs planning. Today, as a founding partner of Georgia Legacy Law Group, LLC (previously Bettis, Hill & Vann, LLC and Hill & Watchko, LLC), Cleve leads a boutique practice devoted to helping clients secure their legacies and provide for their loved ones.
A sixth-generation Cherokee County native, Cleve’s roots run deep in the community he serves. He is a 1997 graduate of Sequoyah High School (along with his law firm colleague, attorney Laura Barron). He graduated magna cum laude from Atlanta’s Oglethorpe University in 2001, having served two terms as student body president, and where he was awarded the university’s highest student honor, the James Edward Oglethorpe Award, presented annually to the top two seniors in the graduating class, was the inaugural recipient of the President’s Community Service Award, and earned the Charles Longstreet Weltner Award presented by the Stormy Petrel Bar Association.
Cleve earned his law degree cum laude from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of law in 2004, ranking in the top 10% of his class, and served on the Editorial Board of the Mercer Law Review.
Cleve’s dedication extends far beyond the office. He has served for over a decade on the Oglethorpe University Board of Trustees, led major campus initiatives, and presided over the Alumni Association as its president for two years. He served for over 9 years on the Forsyth County Tripartite Committee, overseeing the County’s indigent legal defense services. For almost 20 years, Cleve has served on the board of Act Together Ministries serving foster children in metropolitan Atlanta. In 2025, Cleve joined the Board of Directors of Plan of Georgia, Inc., a non-profit assisting families with loved ones who are 18 years of age and older with severe and persistent mental illness, those with intellectual disabilities, and the at-risk elderly.
Cleve is especially proud of his pro bono work, providing estate plans for first responders and rural families who need it most. He and his family are active members of their Cherokee County church, and he is always looking for ways to give back to the community that shaped him.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2017 - 2018
- Georgia Trend Legal Elite, 2012
- Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce as one of their “10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch”
- Georgia Super Lawyer
Other Sources of Feedback About John Cleveland Hill Esq.
Included on the 2024 Georgia Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2023 Georgia Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Georgia Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Georgia Super Lawyers list
Education
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Legal Education
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Mercer University, Walter F. George School of Law,
Macon,
Georgia, 2004
J.D.
Honors: cum laude
Honors: Graduated in the Top 10% of his Class
Law Review: Mercer Law Review, Editorial Board
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Mercer University, Walter F. George School of Law,
Macon,
Georgia, 2004
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Non Legal Education
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Oglethorpe University,
Atlanta,
Georgia, 2001
B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
Honors: Student Body President
Honors: James Edward Oglethorpe Cup
Honors: Pattillo Leadership Prize
Honors: Charles Longstreet Weltner Award
Honors: Inaugural Recipient, President's Community Service Award
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Oglethorpe University,
Atlanta,
Georgia, 2001
Current Employment Position(s)
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Managing Partner
Past Positions
- Powell Goldstein LLP (now Bryan Cave), 2004 - 2007
- Bettis Law Group, Associate, 2007 - 2010
References
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Jonathan Hawkins, Esq.
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Kevin Tallant, Esq.
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Carson Sears, Esq.
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Chris Brannon, Esq.
Languages
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English (Primary)
Classes and Seminars
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Estate Planning and Probate 101, The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Atlanta Chapter, April 24, 2019 - Present
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Estate Planning in the 21st Century: Family Dynamic Management, Ethical Considerations, Drafting;” presenter/key note speaker; four (4) hour seminar presented to the Trust Services Department for the Georgia Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Destin, Florida, November 14, 2018 - Present
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Estate Planning Basics, Oglethorpe University Alumni Association, April 13, 2019 - Present
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Pathway to Retirement, Emory University, November 10, 2011 - February 19, 2019
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Estate Planning Update, Oglethorpe University Alumni Association, April 19, 2018 - Present
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Estate Planning in 2017 and Beyond, Oglethorpe University Alumni Association, April 18, 2017 - Present
- Basic Fiduciary Practice, State Bar of Georgia, March 27, 2015 - Present
Pro Bono Activities
- Georgia Appleseed Wills Project, 2016
- Milton First Responders Wills Project, 2017 - 2018
- Board of Directors for Act Together Ministries
- Georgia Appleseed program
- Board of Directors for Plan of Georgia, Inc.
Bar Admissions
- Georgia, 2004
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia
- Georgia Court of Appeals
- Supreme Court of Georgia
Other Affiliations
- Georgia Bar Association, 2004 - Present (Member)
- Estate Planning Council of North Georgia, 2008 - Present
- Fiduciary Bar Section - Georgia Bar, 2007 - Present (Member)
- Oglethorpe University Board of Trustees, 2011-2022 and 2024 to present
- Trustee’s Campus Life Committee, Chair, 2008-2009 and 2011-2013 academic terms
- Mission Fulfillment Committee, Chair, 2018-2022
- Campaign Steering Committee for the University’s I.W. “Ike” Cousins Center for Science and Innovation, 2019
- Oglethorpe Alumni Association, President, 2011-2013, 2011 - 2013
- Forsyth County, Georgia Tripartite Committee, Member, 2014-2023
Photo
Contact
11300 Atlantis Place
Suite A
Alpharetta, GA 30022
Phone: 770-450-4480
Fax: 770-475-8950
Email: Send a message
Hours: M-Th: 9-5, Friday by appointment
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