Phil is a trial lawyer. He has tried multiple jury and bench trials and has argued cases in the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Court of Appeals, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Illinois Appellate Court, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, and the state trial courts of Colorado, Georgia and Illinois.
Phil is licensed to practice before all state courts of Colorado and Georgia as well as the United States District Courts for the District of Colorado and the Northern District of Georgia.
Phil focuses his practice on complex family law matters, and also has extensive experience in probate/estate litigation, real estate litigation, commercial litigation, and appellate practice.
Phil is rated AV-Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest attorney rating available. The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings system is based on the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary regarding their colleague’s legal ability and general ethical standards. An AV® Peer Review Rating signifies that a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards. It “shows that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence. He or she has usually practiced law for many years, and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity.”
The National Trial Lawyers selected Phil as a “Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyer.” Membership into The National Trial Lawyers is by invitation only and extended to those attorneys who exemplify superior qualifications, trial results, and leadership in their respective state based upon objective and uniformly applied criteria.
Phil is a member of the Trial Practice and Techniques Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Family Law. Phil serves on the Professionalism Coordinating Council of the Colorado Bar Association which works to implement the Principles of Professionalism among members of the Bar and improve the professional conduct of lawyers and judges. Phil served on the PCC subcommittee that drafted the formal definition of professionalism applicable to all Colorado attorneys. Phil is a Master of the Bench in the Rhone Brackett Inn of Court.
Phil was a U.S. Army Scholarship recipient. Upon graduation from VMI, Phil was named Distinguished Military Graduate “on the basis of high scholarship, evidence of high moral character, military aptitude, and demonstrated leadership ability.” Phil served as an Army officer for eight years. He received the National Defense Service Medal (Desert Shield/Desert Storm) for his active duty service during the Persian Gulf War.
