We present a fiber-to-waveguide coupling structure, the so-called vertical J coupler, based on the parabolic reflector. The device addresses the multiple objectives of high coupling efficiency, large bandwidth operation, polarization insensitivity, and compact footprint. The optical mode emanating from a fiber arranged normal to the plane of the substrate is incident underneath the parabolic reflector, turned through 90 degrees and focused into a dielectric waveguide. The viability of the coupler is demonstrated by finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic simulation as well as preliminary fabrication and optical testing of the device.