Personal
Prior to practicing law, Mr. Phillips received a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering and a Master of Science in Engineering. He worked as an engineer in Cincinnati, Boston and Minneapolis prior to practicing law. As an engineer he was responsible for Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance at three nuclear power plants. Mr. Phillips received his law degree from the William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. While living in Minnesota, he was appointed twice by Governor Rudolph Perpich to serve on the Hazardous Substance Injury compensation Board where he was Vice Chairman. He left Minnesota to join the litigation department of Taft, Stettinius and Hollister where he focused his practice on environmental law and litigation. In 1994, he left Taft, Stettinius and Hollister to become managing partner of what is now Phillips Law Firm, Inc. Mr. Phillips lives in Anderson Township with his wife and four children. He is actively involved in his community where he has been President of the Hamilton County Board of Health, Secretary of the Park W. Gast, Jr. Education Foundation, Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Cincinnati Chapter of Triangle, Inc. (an engineering, architecture and science fraternity at the University of Cincinnati), and President and Founder of a non-profit organization for continuing legal education programs known as the Northeast Lawyers Club. He is a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, and serves on the environmental law committee, professional responsibility and ethics committee, and real estate committee. He is also a member of the Ohio Free and Accepted Masons and the Syrian Shrine in Cincinnati, Ohio Mr. Phillips handles a wide variety of cases for clients. He handles personal injury cases, business disputes, legal malpractice, and insurance claims. He has litigated cases from Texas to Minnesota, and from New York to Oregon. He represents businesses and individual clients in the areas of personal injury, business disputes, legal malpractice, insurance claims, construction law and building code compliance, real estate law and development, landlord-tenant, business formations, non-profit corporations, and estate planning. Mr. Phillips also has significant experience handling complex litigation and environmental issues. He represents clients with issues regarding the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (Superfund), Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, Atomic Energy Act, and National Environmental Policy Act, to name a few.
Achievements
He served two terms as a member and President of the Hamilton County Board of Health. He was twice appointed to the Hazardous Substance Injury Compensation Board by Minnesota Governor Perpich. He served as Vice Chairman on this state board which reviews personal injury and property damage claims related to the release of hazardous substances. He is Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Cincinnati Chapter of Triangle, Inc. (an engineering, architecture and science fraternity at the University of Cincinnati). He was awarded the National Triangle Fraternity Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2002. He is the President and Founding Member of the Northeast Lawyers Club (an Ohio Not-For-Profit Corporation Providing Continuing Legal Education to attorneys). He is secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Park W. Gast, Jr. Education Foundation (an Education Foundation at the University of Cincinnati).
Interesting Experience
He is an experienced litigator and trial attorney with multiple bench trials, jury trials, and administrative hearings too numerous to count including legal malpractice, medical malpractice, personal injury, contract, business, environmental law, and zoning. He has drafted many ordinances including an anti-nuisance zoning ordinance for a local village to prevent undesirable businesses from moving into an area, an environmental justice ordinances to prevent the spread of environmental hazards on low income areas, and regulations on rabies, sewage disposal and other public health issues. He has brought private enforcement cases against government officials that ultimately resulted in the felony conviction and five-year prison sentence of a City Mayor. He has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Cincinnati in the Biology Department teaching “Environmental Law for Non-Lawyers”, and he has been an Adjunct Professor in the Nuclear Engineering Department teaching “Reactor Lab” and “Radiation Detection and Measurement.”
Education
William Mitchell College of Law, Saint Paul, MN, (1989). Received Juris Doctor by attending law school evenings while working full time as a nuclear engineer. University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, OH – 1984. Received a Master of Science in Engineering while attending on full scholarship as a Teaching Assistant and Associate Professor. University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, OH – 1982. Received a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering.
Law Related Work History
Phillips Law Firm, Inc. Cincinnati, OH – 1994 – present. General practice law firm which has a very strong business law, personal injury, legal malpractice, environmental law, tax law, bankruptcy, adoption, and bike law practice. Taft, Stettinius and Hollister, Cincinnati, OH – 1990 to 1994. Associate attorney practicing in the litigation department. Handled all aspects of environmental law, litigation, and regulatory compliance.
Engineering Related Work History
Northern States Power Company, Minneapolis, MN – 1979 to 1981 and 1984 to 1990. Senior Engineer with experience in Quality Assurance, Nuclear Fuel Management, Core Analysis, Safety Analysis, and Licensing. Yankee Atomic Electric Company, Framingham, MA – 1984. Loss of Coolant Accident Analysis and Thermal Hydraulic Engineer. University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH – 1982 to 1983 Adjunct Professor in the nuclear engineering department. Cincinnati Gas and Electric, Cincinnati, OH – 1982. Nuclear Fuel Performance Engineer.
Author and Lecturer
“Legal Alert,” a monthly environmental column published in “Metal Finishing” magazine. Professionalism among lawyers – “What’s wrong with us?” – An analysis on lawyers, litigating and public perception of lawyers. Ethics – “The year in review” an analysis of changes in the law affecting all lawyers. Substance Abuse in the Legal Profession – “What drives you to drink?” An analysis of danger signs and where lawyers can get help for substance abuse problems Legal Analysis – “Does RCRA Really Apply to Your Environmental Remediation?” Legal Analysis – “Potential Contractor Liabilities and Indemnifications for the Environmental Restoration Management Contractor at the Fernald Environmental Management Project” Legal Analysis – “Decommissioning America’s Commercial Nuclear Power Plants: Running the Regulatory Gamut” Engineering Analysis – “Reactor Coolant Pump Operation During Small Break Loss of Coolant Accidents at the Yankee Rowe Nuclear Plant” Education Analysis – “Teaching Radiation Health Physics at the University Level,” The University of Cincinnati was a recipient of a $30,000 grant based upon this work.
Expert Witness
He has testified in legal malpractice cases as to standard of care, reasonableness of attorney fees, and damages for both Plaintiff and Defense Cases.
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