Women's Tribute: Caroline Parish

Caroline Parish grew up around the legal system.

As the daughter of longtime West Tennessee attorney and circuit court judge Donald Parish, she spent much of her childhood visiting her father’s law office and occasionally going with him to court.

Those experiences eventually led her to a legal career of her own. Today, the Huntingdon native serves as an assistant United States attorney with the United States Department of Justice, working out of the federal courthouse in Jackson.

Parish graduated from Huntingdon High School in 2012 before attending the University of Tennessee at Martin, where she completed her undergraduate degree a semester early in December 2015. She then earned her law degree from the Mississippi College School of Law in December 2018.

“I either wanted to be a dentist or an attorney,” she said with a laugh, acknowledging the drastic difference between the two professions. She could follow in her dad’s footsteps, or she could follow a similar path as her mom, Cathy Parish, who once worked at an orthodontist’s office.

After observing a dentist for a day, she realized she was better suited for law.

Her interest in law came largely from being around her father’s work. He practiced law for many years before serving 16 years as a circuit court judge in the 24th Judicial District, which includes Carroll, Henry, Decatur, Hardin and Benton counties. He retired in August 2022.

During the summers, Parish often accompanied him to court. On the drive home, he would explain what had happened during the proceedings and why certain decisions were made.

“The familiarity of the legal community in West Tennessee — that’s what I had always known,” she said.

While in college at the University of Tennessee at Martin, Parish gained experience through several internships. One summer she worked at her father’s former law firm, another at the district attorney’s office in the 24th Judicial District. She also spent a semester in Nashville with the university’s Office of Government Relations and Advocacy. She said those experiences helped her better understand different career paths.

After law school, Parish worked as a law clerk for the United States Bankruptcy Court in Jackson before joining the Department of Justice in November 2023.

She was drawn to criminal law, noting that the work rarely feels routine.

“There’s never a dull day,” she said of her work.

Starting out as a young female attorney, Parish sometimes felt the need to prove herself amongst her peers, but her confidence and grit attested to her ability to thrive in the courtroom.

“You have to be a little more bold. You have to put your chest out and speak with confidence,” she said. “I feel more alive when I’m in the courtroom than when I’m anywhere else, at any other time.”

While female attorneys are sometimes underestimated, maybe even compared to Barbie dolls due to their looks, Parish said it is important that she establishes herself as an indomitable force in the courtroom.
“I work with two other amazing female attorneys who are just the same way. They’re bulldogs in the courtroom, and that’s how you want to be,” she said.

Despite working in Jackson, Parish continues to live in Huntingdon and makes the commute each day. Remaining close to family and friends was an important decision for her, and as an only child, her parents remain a key part of her support system.

Parish is also active at Huntingdon Missionary Baptist Church, crediting her faith for helping her get through “the bad days.” She teaches a Sunday School class for middle school and early high school students, and she said the class often reminds her of the importance of balance between work and personal life.

“The students ground me in a way that I don’t find anywhere else,” she said.

Outside of work and church, Parish is also involved in professional organizations. She participates in an Inns of Court program that brings together judges and attorneys for networking and discussion, and she serves on the board of directors for the Memphis chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

Parish has built a demanding career in federal law while staying connected to her Huntingdon roots, drawing on the foundation her family and upbringing provided.