Areas of Expertise
Transactional Law, International Business Transactions, International Aviation Law, Public International Law
Courses
Contracts Drafting
Biography
John Parkerson teaches Contracts Drafting as adjunct professor in Emory Law's Center for Transactional Law and Practice.
Parkerson is an attorney in the international practice group at Hall Booth Smith, PC. His practice focuses on general corporate counseling, particularly with respect to international business and related commercial transactions (distribution, agency, licensing, strategic alliances, JVs); international compliance (foreign corruption, export controls); export/import; international aviation liability; sustainable airport area development; and governmental affairs. Parkerson also supports clients’ other international needs as they enter foreign or local markets, whether foreign labor/employment, contractual issues, or regulatory/permit requirements.
From 1993 until 2008, Parkerson was part of the international practice group within Delta Air Lines’ Law Department, advising senior management with regard to outbound legal issues ranging from foreign labor and employment issues to international aviation liability and anti-trust, as well as foreign corporate, regulatory, marketing, and related business transactions. Before joining Delta in 1993, Parkerson served as an army judge advocate general (JAG) officer in a variety of international law military assignments, including chief of the International Law Branch in the Office of The Judge Advocate General, The Pentagon; associate professor of law at the US Military Academy, West Point; US Forces Europe legal liaison at the US Embassy, Bonn; and international legal advisor at the US Army’s European headquarters, Heidelberg. He also, for a period, was Clayton State University’s director of International Programs and assistant professor of International Business/Global Logistics.
In 2007, the Government of Hungary appointed Parkerson as its honorary consul general and foreign trade counselor. In that role, Parkerson represents Hungary’s consular and trade interests in Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. He also serves on the board of the Atlanta Consular Corps as its secretary.
Parkerson presently holds leadership roles in numerous civic and charitable organizations: he is immediate past president and current board member of the World Trade Center Atlanta; trustee, the Georgia Council for International Visitors; board member, Atlanta Council on International Relations; member, the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Global Partners Council; member, Georgia Advisory Committee, US Global Leadership Coalition; founding board member and current advisory board member, Global Soap Project; board member and secretary, Tropics Foundation (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center); board of counselors, The Carter Center; board member, Arts Clayton; and advisory board member, Atlantic Institute.
Education: George Washington University, LLM, highest honors, International & Comparative Law; Emory University, JD, International Studies Award; Boston University, MA, International Relations; Emory University, MA, History; Emory University, BA, magna cum laude, History; US Army Command & General Staff College, honor graduate.