John Cleveland Hill, Esq.

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.