Phil is a seasoned litigator who focuses most of his practice on matters within the construction industry. A certified arbitrator, he has provided counsel to some of the country’s most well-known companies. In over forty years of practice at Butler Snow, Phil has represented owners, contractors, architects and engineers in the construction industry, as well as defending national manufacturers in product liability litigation.
Overview
Phil is a seasoned litigator who focuses most of his practice on matters within the construction industry. A certified arbitrator, he has provided counsel to some of the country’s most well-known companies. In over forty years of practice at Butler Snow, Phil has represented owners, contractors, architects and engineers in the construction industry, as well as defending national manufacturers in product liability litigation.
Practice Areas
Industry
Experience
- Trial Counsel for Bridgestone-Firestone North America and Armstrong International for asbestos and silica litigation in Mississippi and Louisiana.
- National Counsel for Figg Bridge Engineers.
Published Decisions
- Upchurch Plumbing, Inc. v. Greenwood Utilities Com'n, 964 So.2d 1100 (Miss. 2007), Trial and Appellate Counsel.
- Ronald Adams Contractor v. Mississippi Transportation Commission, 777 So. 2d 649 (Miss. 2000), Trial and Appellate Counsel.
- Farrell Construction Company v. Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, 896 F. 2d 136 (5th Cir. 1990), Trial and Appellate Counsel.
- Ronald Adams Contractor v. The United States, 2003 WL 459650 (Fed. Cir. 2003), Trial and Appellate Counsel.
- Ables v. Ford Motor Company, 2006 WL 3431602 (5th Cir. 2006) and 2007 WL 273502 (Miss. 2007), Trial and Appellate Counsel
- Michael Construction Company v. Florida Department of Transportation, (Leon County, Florida Circuit Court), Trial Counsel.
- Abadie, et al., v. Champion International, et al. (Jefferson Parish, Louisiana) 784 So. 2d 46 (La. App. 3d Cir. 2001) Trial Counsel.
- Amerihost Development, Inc. v. Bromanco, 786 So. 2d 362 (Miss. 2001), Trial and Appellate Counsel.
- Murden v. Acands, Inc., (Orleans Parish, LA) 921 So. 2d 165 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2005), Trial and Appellate Counsel.
Distinctions
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
- Martindale-Hubbell®
- AV® – Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated, 1998-2023
- Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business
- Litigation: General Commercial – Mississippi, 2014-2025
- Construction – Mississippi, 2014-2017, 2025
- Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers®
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, Construction Litigation: Business, 2007-2023
- Top 50: Mississippi, 2007-2012
- BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America®
- Commercial Litigation, 2008-2025
- Litigation – Construction, 2011-2025
- Litigation – Construction: Lawyer of the Year [Jackson, MS], 2016
- Top Lawyers, Annual Guide To Commercial Litigation American Lawyer/Corporate Counsel
- International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), Instructor, National Trial Academy
Bar Admissions
- Mississippi, 1979
- U.S. District Courts
- Mississippi: Northern, Southern
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- 5th Circuit
- Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
I.C.C. International Court of Arbitration
Admitted pro hac vice in 16 states
Education
- University of Mississippi, J.D., cum laude, 1978
- Note Editor, Mississippi Law Journal
- Mississippi State University, B.S., Engineering, 1972
Associations
- American Bar Association
- Litigation Section
- Construction Committee
- Forum Committee
- Trial Academy Faculty
- Litigation Section
- International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)
- Construction Litigation Committee
- Fidelity and Surety Committee
- Trial Academy Faculty
- American Arbitration Association
- Mississippi Advisory Counsel
- National Arbitration Forum
- Certified Arbitrator
- Capital Area Bar Association