Biography
John has been practicing family law since 1987. After all that time, he remains just as passionate about his work. John learned how to practice law from one of the best divorce lawyers in Nashville, his father, John J. Hollins, Sr.
After John’s father retired, he took over his father’s firm and was president and managing partner at Hollins, Raybin, & Weissman. While there, he resolved countless domestic relations cases.
As his career grew, John became an expert in high asset and complex divorce cases. He has represented many doctors, dentists, lawyers, judges, professional athletes, musicians and other entertainment industry professionals, financial advisers, property developers, CEOs, and business owners. He has the skills and experience needed to resolve cases without extensive litigation and conflict.
At Thompson Burton, John’s practice is devoted entirely to family law. John’s experience has taught him that litigation takes a toll on all parties involved. While litigation is a big part of his family law practice, he also prides himself in the ability to negotiate and mediate the vast majority of his cases.
In 2021, John was named the Tennessee Family Lawyer of the year by The Best Lawyers in America and named a member of the Chambers and Partners High Net Worth organization for the state Tennessee. These awards would not have been possible without Robyn Davis, his paralegal since 2003, and his associate, L.B. McCullum, since 2017.
John has also been recognized by his professional peers with an AV Preeminent peer-review rating through Martindale-Hubbell and has been included in Mid-South Super Lawyers several times. Since 2011, John has been a part of an elite group of lawyers in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), which is an organization of the most dedicated and professional family lawyers who are recognized and respected by the bench and bar as leaders in the field. He is also a Rule 31 Certified Mediator.
In 2011, John published the book Surviving Divorce: A Lawyer’s Common Sense Guide To What You Should Know Before, During, And After A Divorce. The book is an easy-to-understand manual to help clients, family members and friends survive the trials and tribulations of divorce with their dignity intact.
When he’s not focusing on the law, John is actively involved in helping his community. John is a member and an Elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Since 2012, John has traveled each year to Mandeville, Jamaica on church-sponsored mission trips. In Jamaica, John works primarily with the dental team. Throughout the years, John has had several former dentist clients join him on this trip. These trips have become a meaningful part of his life, and each year, John looks forward to this mission trip.
John has been happily married to Laura since 1997 and enjoys spending time with her and their twin daughters, Meredith, who is in the nursing program at Auburn University, and Emily, who is in the pharmacy program at the University of Georgia, and their two Boykin Spaniel dogs. The entire family roots for the Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Tennessee Titans, and the Nashville Predators. They also enjoy hiking, walking, skiing, fishing, hunting, and clay target shooting.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:
Chairman of Tennessee U.S. Senator Fred Thompson’s Celebrity Shoot which benefited various 501(c)(3) charities (1995–2000)
Staff volunteer and fundraiser for election campaign of Tennessee U.S. Senator Fred D. Thompson, 1994 and 1996
Board member of Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine (1997–2000)
Member of the Tennessee Chapter of Ducks Unlimited (1995–Present)
Member of Delta WaterFowl (2000–Present)
Board member and 2003 honoree of the Iron Man charity fund raiser benefiting various 501(c)(3) charities (2000–2003)
Deacon, First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee (2008–present)
Habitat for Humanity home building projects (2010 – Present)
Downtown Presbyterian Church homeless lunch program (2011 – 2016)
Chairman Delta Water Fowl Sporting Clay Tournament (2012 – Present)
Tornado and Flood disaster relief in Huntsville, AL and Nashville, TN (2010)
Education
• D., University of Tennessee at Knoxville, 1987
• A., Auburn University, 1984
Experience
JURISDICTIONS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
• Supreme Court of the State of Tennessee
APPELLATE CASES
• Doe 1 ex rel. Doe 1 v. Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville,154 S.W.3d 22 (Tenn.2005)(outrageous conduct claims against the Roman Catholic Diocese stemming from Catholic priest sexual molestation of adolescent boys).
• Biscan v. Brown, 160 S.W.3d 462 (Tenn. 2004) (adult host had duty to exercise reasonable care to protect minor guests and third persons from risks associated with drinking and driving and established the parameters of the Tennessee Dram Shop Act as it applies to social hosts).
• Solima v. Solima, No. M2008-00528-COA-R3-CV, 2008 WL 4963528 (Tenn.Ct.App. Oct. 17, 2008) (criminal contempt conviction for failure to abide by Parenting Plan Order).
• Berg v. Berg, No. M2013-00211-COA-R3-CV, 2014 WL 2931954 (Tenn.Ct.App. Feb. 19, 2014) (appeal from a final divorce decree wherein Wife took issue with several of the trial court’s financial decisions).
PROFESSIONAL LISTINGS
• Best Lawyers in America in the field of Domestic Relations (2003 – Present)
• Martindale–Hubbell (Highest Rating: AV) (2000 – Present)
• Fellow in American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (2011 – Present)
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS
• Hearing Panel Member: Board of Professional Responsibility, Supreme Court of Tennessee (2000–2002)
• Board Member: Board of Professional Responsibility, Supreme Court of Tennessee (2003 – 2008)
• Board Member, Tennessee Clay Target Complex (2001 – Present)
• John Marshall American Inns of Court, Williamson County, Master (1998 – 2006; 2018 – Present)
BAR AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• Lawyer of the Year – Family Law, “The Best Lawyers in America” (2021)
• Ten Best Family Law Attorneys, “American Institute of Family Law Attorneys (2020)
• Listing in “The Best Lawyers in America” in the field of Family Law (2003 – 2023)
• Listing in “The Mid–South Super Lawyers” Family Law Section (2008–present)
• Listing in “The Mid-South Super Lawyers” Top 100 Tennessee (2019)
• Listing in Nashville Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar” Family Law category (2018 – Present)
• Member of the Nashville Bar Foundation (2003–present)
• Barrister of the Tennessee John Marshal American Inn of Court, Williamson County, TN (1998)
• Nashville Bar Association (1987–present)
• Tennessee Bar Association (1987–present)
• American Bar Association (1987–present)
• Tennessee Association for Justice (1987–present)
Continuing Legal Education Presentations and Speaking Engagements
• 2015 Tennessee Association for Justice CLE Presentation on “Rainmaking 101”
• 2014 Tennessee Association for Justice CLE Presentation on “Rainmaking 101”
• 2013 Tennessee Attorney’s Memo CLE Presentation on “How to Prepare Your Client for Depositions”
• 2012 Tennessee Association for Justice CLE Presentation on “How to Prepare Your Client for Depositions”
• 2011 Tennessee Attorney’s Memo CLE Presentation on “How to Identify and Avoid Unprofitable Family Law Cases”
• 2011 Tennessee Association for Justice CLE Presentation on “How to Mentally Prepare Your Client for Divorce”
• 2010 Tennessee Association for Justice CLE Seminar on “How to Identify and Avoid Unprofitable Family Law Cases”