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Biography |
Craig W. Phillips has extensive experience serving as a mediator and insurance appraisal umpire. Beginning in about 2000 he began providing mediation and arbitration services when asked by colleagues. In 2018 he began working fulltime as a mediator. From law school graduation in 1981 until the end of 2017, Mr. Phillips had an active litigation practice.
Mr. Phillips has mediated over 4,000 single incident cases, as well as mass tort and class action matters involving tens of thousands of plaintiffs. The matters have involved cases and attorneys from across the country. Matters mediated by Mr. Phillips have been varied and include construction defect, general commercial, medical and other professional malpractice, bad faith, insurance coverage, product liability, pharmaceutical and medical device, general negligence, premises liability, personal injury, wrongful death and property damage claims. Mr. Phillips mediates single plaintiff cases, consolidated cases, class actions, and mass torts (on a single plaintiff or inventory basis). His work additionally includes serving as an insurance appraisal umpire.
Prior to focusing his practice exclusively in the area of alternative dispute resolution in 2018, Mr. Phillips spent 37 years in practice as a trial lawyer. During this time he first-chaired more than 50 trials. He practiced in both state and federal courts, and for more than 20 years represented clients in mass tort and class actions before state, federal and MDL courts. Mr. Phillips represented drug companies (HT, DTP, Phen-Fen, PPA, Thimerosal, Reglan and Norplant cases) and device companies (manufacturers of cannulas, joint implants, suturing devices and computer-assisted surgical devices). He also served as counsel in other types of cases, including bad faith, coverage, premises liability, food borne illness, tire defect, a wide range of product liability, railroad, and other serious injury and wrongful death matters. Prior to joining Skelly, Oberbillig & Phillips, LLC, Mr. Phillips spent the previous 25 years at Lewis Roca Rothgerber and Christie. Mr. Phillips was at Skelly, Oberbillig & Phillips, LLC through June 30, 2023, when his partners retired and he opened his own firm.
Mr. Phillips is listed in The Best Lawyers in America from 2003 - 2024 for Mediation, Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation (2022 and 2024 Lawyer of the Year, Phoenix, Mass Torts and Class Actions), and Product Liability Litigation (2019 Lawyer of the Year, Phoenix, Product Liability Defense), Southwest Super Lawyers 2012 - 2015 and 2018 - 2022, The Phoenix Magazine “Best of Phoenix,” The AZ Business Magazine Top Lawyers, and has achieved an AV/Preeminent Attorney rating. He is also a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. |
