Faculty Profile: Monica Wharton

Monica Wharton, a native of New Jersey, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampton University, where she graduated with Honors and a Juris Doctor degree from William & Mary School of Law. While in Law School, Ms. Wharton was selected for the honorary membership of the Order of Barristers where she was also awarded the Dean's Certificate for her outstanding service to the school. After law school, Ms. Wharton was invited to be the law clerk for the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. Subsequently, she was an attorney at the law firm of Ogletree Deakins, the third largest employment and labor defense firm in the U.S.

Ms. Wharton moved to Memphis in 2004 and joined the law firm of Glankler Brown, PLLC, a well-respected legal firm in Memphis. At Glankler Brown, Ms. Wharton practiced extensively in the Circuit, Chancery and Federal Court systems. Ms. Wharton was hired as The MED's Senior Vice-President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel in October of 2008. In this role, Ms. Wharton serves as the chief legal counsel for the hospital and manages the risk management and legal affairs department.

Ms. Wharton has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association where she also served on the Executive Committee, the Association of Women Attorneys, The Southern Avenue Charter School, and The Women's Foundation, Grants Committee. Currently, she is a board member of The Facing History and Ourselves Organization. Ms. Wharton has also participated in the Memphis Bar Association Leadership Forum and is a graduate of the Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Program. Ms. Wharton is currently licensed to practice law in the States of North Carolina and Tennessee.

Ms. Wharton is a member of The Links, Inc, Memphis Chapter; and has been recognized by the Tri-State Defender as a "Woman of Excellence" and by The Memphis Business Journal as one of the Top 40 under 40 in the Memphis Community. In 2012, Ms. Wharton was appointed by Governor Bill Haslam as a Special Justice for the Tennessee Supreme Court. Ms. Wharton also became a fellow for the Memphis Bar Association. Ms. Wharton enjoys volunteering her time with various schools and non-profits in the Memphis community.

She is married to Attorney Andre' C. Wharton and they have three sons, Andrew, Arthur and Abram.