John was born in Saltville, Virginia. His family moved to Bristol, and he graduated from Bristol Tennessee High School and King College. He attended law school at the University of Tennessee, and after graduation moved to Abingdon, Virginia, to practice law with Browning, Morefield, Schelin and Arrington, which later became Browning, Lamie & Collins. He practices out of the firm’s Abingdon office and see clients at all of the firm’s offices. He handles personal injury, bankruptcy, social security, disability insurance claims, and other civil litigation. His trial experience includes jury and non-jury matters in state, U.S. District and U.S. Bankruptcy courts. He has also argued appellate cases before the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Virginia Supreme Court. In 2003, he appeared before the U. S. Supreme Court in the case of Lamie v. U.S. Trustee. His professional service has included two terms on the Board of Directors for the Bankruptcy Section of the Virginia State Bar and as a panel member of the 10th District Ethics Committee. The Supreme Court of Virginia appointed him to the panel of Administrative Hearing Officers in 1983. He served in that role for fifteen years and conducted hearings for the Division of Mines, various boards and other agencies of the Commonwealth of Virginia.