This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance.(January 2026) ( Learn how and when to remove this message )
Phillips was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, before moving to Jacksonville, Florida in 2001. He received a BA from the University of Alabama in Political Science and Criminal Justice in 1997, and JD from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2000.[2]He is licensed to practice law in Florida, New York, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois and Washington, DC and the United States Supreme Court.
Career
Phillips started his career as a civil litigation defense attorney, defending companies like Coca-Cola, Hertz and State Farm from injury claims. After over 8 years with his firm, he worked alongside John Morgan and represented victims of traumatic injuries. In 2011, Phillips founded his own law office.[citation needed]
Phillips stopped George Zimmerman when he was trying to sell his client's copyrighted photograph of prosecutor Angela Corey as a painting [3] and also successfully represented an Orlando man who made "Left Shark" 3-D figurines against claims of copyright infringement by singer Katy Perry.[4] Another notable case includes Gregory Hill v. Ft. Pierce Police Department (where a man was shot by police through his closed garage door).[5] It resulted in a controversial $4 jury verdict.[6]
Jordan Davis shooting
In 2012, Phillips was hired by Ron Davis and U.S. Congresswoman Lucy McBath after the shooting of Jordan Davis by Michael Dunn.[7] Michael Dunn was convicted of Jordan Davis's murder after two trials and remains behind bars. Phillips' perspective and a photo with the family appeared in Rolling Stone magazine in 2013.[8]
Lawyer for individuals associated with Tiger King
Tiger King was a docuseries which aired in 2020 on Netflix. It featured the contentious relationship between Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, also known as Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, as well as the disappearance of Carole Baskin's ex-husband Don Lewis.
Phillips was hired in July 2020 to represent Don Lewis’s daughters along with his former assistant Anne McQueen. He filed a lawsuit against Carole Baskin and others in early August seeking to obtain more information about the disappearance of Don Lewis and amended it to assert an action for defamation on behalf of Anne McQueen, which is pending.[9] Phillips and his firm were contacted and retained by Joe Exotic.[10][11]
Donald Trump v. Omarosa Manigault Newman
On August 18, 2018, it was announced that Phillips and his firm are representing Omarosa Manigault Newman in both arbitration and litigation arising out of her employment with Donald Trump.[12][13]
Phillips defeated former President Donald J. Trump and his Campaign's efforts to enforce a nondisclosure agreement against Omarosa Manigault Newman, the former White House aide and a star on “The Apprentice” who wrote a tell-all book about serving in his administration.[14] In the decision by the American Arbitration Association dated September 24, 2021, the Arbitrator granted Respondent’s Summary Judgment Motion declaring the Agreement invalid under New York contract law.[15]
Howard S. Schneider pediatric abuse cases
Phillips handled was the nationally reported case of Jacksonville pediatric dentist Howard S. Schneider. Howard Schneider was charged in a scheme to defraud Medicaid, but the allegations against him also included abuse and performing unnecessary dentistry on children, telling parents that he needed to work on one tooth and extracting several. Although he was found incompetent to stand trial, he lost his license to practice and much of his status in the community and a confidential settlement was reached.[16]
On January 15, 2019, Phillips and his firm received a jury verdict of $495,123,680.00, the largest known jury verdict in northeast Florida and one of the largest wrongful death verdicts in the country. Kalil McCoy, of Jacksonville, Florida, was shot in the head by Frederick Lee Wade, 19, while they rode in a car with four other friends, after an argument about opening a window. McCoy’s friends then dumped her body in a wooded area and lied about what happened.[20]
Estate of Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas, Jr. versus Jamell "YNW Melly" Demons
Christopher Thomas Jr., and Anthony Williams were shot and killed Oct. 26, 2018, in South Florida according to the Miramar Police Department. The men were last seen leaving in a car with Jamell Demons, aka YNW Melly, and Cortlen Henry, aka YNW Bortlen.[21] Miramar police said an investigation concluded that Demons shot and killed Williams and Thomas. Phillips filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of Christopher Thomas, Jr., on Oct. 30 2020.[22] As a result of accepting this case, Phillips states he has been the victim of death threats and harassment.[22]
Political life and civic career
In 2015, Phillips was nominated by the Mayor of Jacksonville to the City's Human Rights Commission.[23][24] On November 14, 2017, Phillips resigned from the Commission in order to relieve any perceived conflict before filing multiple civil rights lawsuits against the City of Jacksonville.[25]He is active in community outreach.[26]
Awards and recognition
Phillips and his office have been named as: Top 40 Under 40, by the American Society of Legal Advocates, one of the top 200 lawyers in America by Forbes and others.[2][27]
Television and radio personality
Phillips has appeared on NBC's The Today Show, MSNBC, HLN, BBC, Al Jazeera, RT TV, TV ONE and regularly appears on other national media outlets as a legal correspondent. He is a recurring guest and legal analyst on HLN (CNN's Headline News program). Phillips covered the George Zimmerman verdict live from Sanford, Florida for HLN [28] and has covered other high profile cases such as Jodi Arias and Casey Anthony for national media.
From 2011 to 2013, Phillips hosted a podcast, which was aired regionally in Jacksonville, Florida called Courts & Sports. He still regularly appears on the morning radio show Lex and Terry. He represented the duo in 2012 and frequently has a call in segment where listeners ask Phillips for legal advice.
Personal life
Phillips resides in Jacksonville, Florida, is married, and has three sons.[2]Phillips is the owner of the 35 year-old news publication Folio Weekly.[29][30]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
