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John was considered one of the most effective lobbyists in the state’s history. John was the Past President of the North Carolina State Bar, the Wake County Bar Association, and the University of North Carolina School of Law Alumni Association. In 2017, John received the University of North Carolina School of Law’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Before his passing in 2019, John had 50 years of experience representing clients before the North Carolina General Assembly and in courtrooms across the state. He had been an attorney with Manning Fulton & Skinner, P.A. in Raleigh since graduating from UNC School of Law. For most of his career, he combined a general civil litigation practice with government relations work for clients with state legislative and administrative issues. In recent years, he concentrated his litigation practice in the area of eminent domain law representing property owners. In his government relations practice, he represented national and state trade associations and corporations before the North Carolina General Assembly and various state agencies. For his legal work, McMillan was recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the areas of eminent domain and government relations in each year since those categories were established. He was named Best Lawyers Government Relations “Lawyer of the Year” in 2011, 2014 and 2018 as well as Best Lawyers Eminent Domain and Condemnation “Lawyer of the Year” in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
McMillan was a past president of The Wake County Bar Association, the 10th Judicial District Bar, and the North Carolina State Bar. He served as chair of various statewide boards including the State Bar’s Disciplinary Hearing Commission, the North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the UNC Law Alumni Association, the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund, and the North Carolina IOLTA Board of Trustees. McMillan also chaired the North Carolina State Bar Foundation Board of Trustees. Along with many others, McMillan was instrumental in the planning and construction of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Building, The Nature Research Center and the State Bar Building.
He was a recipient of many awards and recognitions, including the Joseph Branch Professionalism Award, Champion of Equal Access to Justice awarded by the Chief Justice’s Equal Access to Justice Commission, the UNC Law Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award, the North Carolina School of Law’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the North Carolina Justice Center’s Lifetime Champion Award, the North Carolina State Bar’s Distinguished Service Award which was named in his honor upon the completion of his term as president of the North Carolina State Bar, and the 2018 Governor’s Conservationist of the Year Award presented by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation.
Credentials
Education
- University of North Carolina (J.D., 1967)
- University of North Carolina (B.A., 1964)
Admitted to Practice
- State of North Carolina
- Supreme Court of the United States
Professional Activities
- North Carolina State Bar
- President (2008-2009)
- President-Elect (2007-2008)
- Vice President (2006-2007)
- State Bar Council (1997-2010)
- Executive Committee (2002-2010)
- Legislative Committee, (2002-2006), Chair (2004-2006)
- Committee to Review the ABA’s Ethics 2000 Commission Report (2001-2002)
- Emerging Issues Committee (2000-2019)
- Grievance Committee (1997-2004); Chair (2003-2004)
- Ethics Committee (2004- 2006)
- Rules of Professional Conduct Rewrite Committee (1994-1997)
- Committee to Rewrite the Rules Governing Disciplinary Procedure (1990-1991)
- Disciplinary Hearing Commission (1981-1990) Chair (1986-1990)
- North Carolina State Bar Foundation
- Chair, Board of Trustees (2010- 2017)
- North Carolina IOLTA
- Board of Trustees (2010-2019)
- Vice – Chair (2015-2016)
- Wake County Bar Association
- Professionalism Committee (2000-2008)
- Bench/Bar Committee, Chair (1996-1997) (2006)
- Long Range Planning Committee, Chair (1990-1993)
- Wake County/10th District Bar, President (1985)
- Board of Directors (1984-1985)
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Legislative Advisory Committee, Chair (1997-2001)
- North Carolina Commission for the Delivery of Legal Services (1996-1998); Chair, Legislative Advocacy Working Coalition
- 4ALL Task Force; Legislative Chair (2007)
- Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism (2003-2006, 2009)
- American Bar Association
- House of Delegates (2011-2015)
- Chief Justice’s Commission on Equal Access to Justice (2011-2016)
Representative Matters
- Represented a family in Garner, NC when NC DOT replaced old Tryon Rd. with a new service road. NC DOT initially paid the family $76,800. At mediation, the case settled for $1,065,000 for a difference of $988,200. Consent judgment was entered in October 2017.
- Represented a family when NC DOT took 8.6 acres for the US Highway 401 by-pass. NC DOT initially paid $1,342,930. The final jury verdict required NC DOT to pay $4,349,837 plus interest of $761,649.54 for a difference of $3,768,556.54. Trial occurred in Wake Count in September 2013.
- Represented landowners when DOT took 36.6 acres from the relocation of Highway 70. DOT initially paid $2,524,150. Final settlement required DOT to pay $6,650,000 – for a difference of $4,125,850. Consent judgment was entered in November 2012.
Community Engagement
North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund
- Board of Trustees (2002-2013)
- Chair (2011-2013)
The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Chapter
- Board of Trustees (1989-1998)
- Chair (1995-1998)
Friends of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences
- Board & Executive Committee (1990-2010)
- President (1997-1998)
The Law Alumni Association of University of North Carolina
- Board of Directors (1990-2012)
- President (2006-2007)
Boy Scouts of America
- Occoneechee Council Executive Board (2000-2004)
- Scoutmaster for 25 years
East Central Community Legal Services Board (1985-1988)
White Memorial Presbyterian Church
- Former Deacon
- Former Elder and Clerk of Session