John Carroll Morrow

John Carroll Morrow came to the law as a second career. After a 20-year career as a United States Air Force officer and fighter pilot - serving in roles including Weapons Systems Officer, Navigator-Air Transport, and Operations Manager - he retired from Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas in 1977 and relocated his family to Northern Nevada. There he attended McGeorge School of Law, earning his Juris Doctor in 1980. His earlier academic credentials included a degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, an MBA from Arizona State University, and a Master of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado.

During law school, John interned with the Washoe County Public Defender's Office, where he found his calling as a criminal defense attorney. Over more than 20 years as a Public Defender, he represented hundreds of clients on charges ranging from minor misdemeanors to capital murder, and he served as chief deputy public defender for several years before retiring from that office in 2001.

In 2001, Governor Kenny Guinn appointed John to the Nevada State Board of Parole Commissioners. It is believed that he was the first criminal defense attorney to serve on the commission, a role he continued in until his final retirement in 2006.