Related Information
Education
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University of Kentucky College of Law
J.D., with distinction, 1979
Order of the Coif; Kentucky Law Journal, Notes Editor
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University of Kentucky
B.A., with high distinction, 1976
Music and History
Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
Kentucky
U.S. Supreme Court
Service Areas
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Appellate Advocacy
- Business Litigation
- Civil Litigation
- Class Action, Mass Action & Multi-District Litigation
- Commercial Disputes - Contracts and Business Torts
- Regulatory Compliance in the Zone of Market Meltdown
- Company Management, Governance and Control Litigation
- Complex / Large Transaction Litigation / E-Discovery Management
- Corporate Governance and Disclosure
- E-Discovery and Document Management
- Fiduciary Duty, Trade Secret and Unfair Competition Litigation
- Franchise, License and Agency Litigation
- Insurance Coverage, Bad Faith and Regulatory Litigation
- Intellectual Property Litigation
- Product Liability
- Professional Liability (Non-Medical Professionals)
- Securities Litigation
- Toxic Tort & Environmental Defense
- Trial Practice
- Energy & Electrical Power Law
Industry Experience
- Banking / Financial Services
- Energy
- Financing
- Industrial / Manufacturing
- Insurance Carriers / Brokers / Agents
- Natural Resources / Mining / Energy
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Kentucky Bar Association
- Louisville Bar Association
Community Involvement
- Highland Baptist Church, chair of task force providing assistance to Albanians in Macedonia and Kosova and to the Albanian refugee community in Louisville
- English-Speaking Union, Kentucky Branch, Board of Directors
". . . accomplished and hardworking."
- ChambersUSA 2010
". . . details-oriented approach to business litigation."
- ChambersUSA 2005
Phil Collier's practice focuses on complex business litigation. He began practice with Stites & Harbison in 1980, was named partner in 1986 and served as a member of the firm's Management Committee (2001-2004).
He has more than 20 years trial experience in Kentucky and Tennessee's state courts. Phil has chaired the firm's Business Litigation Service Group, from 1994 to 2000 and from January 2005 to present. He is listed in Chambers USA, "America's Leading Lawyers for Business," The Best Lawyers in America® (2006-2010) and in Kentucky Super Lawyers 2007-10 magazine.
Recent Assignments
- Served as chief trial counsel representing the Liquidator of Kentucky Central Life Insurance Company in its third party litigation from 1993 to present. The auditing claims prosecuted against "Big Four" firm Deloitte & Touche alone involved coordinating the work of 17 attorneys and six paralegals located in three offices. The efforts of these "teammates" were coordinated with other professionals working on the "business" and regulatory matters, four sets of expert consultants and a private investigator. Deloitte agreed to pay the Liquidator $23,000,000 to settle these claims.
- Acted as lead counsel in prosecuting, defending and investigating claims involving corporate directors and officers. One of these engagements was as lead counsel for the prevailing defendants in the first published Kentucky decision adopting application of the "business judgment rule" to special litigation committee deliberations. Allied Ready-Mix Company ex rel., Mattingly v. Allen, et al. (Ky. App. 1998)
- Presented oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court in Itel Containers International Corp. v. Huddleston, 113 S.Ct. 1095 (U.S. 1993), a constitutional challenge to Tennessee's sales and use tax scheme.
Besides Stites & Harbison
Phil has been chair of the Highland Baptist Church's task force providing assistance to Albanians in Macedonia and Kosova and to the Albanian refugee community in Louisville since 2002. He is also a member of the Board of Directors, English-Speaking Union, Kentucky Branch.