Staff

Formerly a CVLS volunteer, Phillip joined the staff in 1991, became the Family Law Director in 1996, and was named the Deputy Director in 2006.  In addition to being Deputy Director, Phil continues to direct our Family Law Program.  His own large caseload and the work of his American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers panel does much to meet our greatest need:  representation of clients on contested family law matters.  In addition to trial work, he has gained experience with appellate work as well, arguing, along with a CVLS volunteer, before the Illinois Supreme Court.  As an experienced family law practitioner, Phil spends many hours tutoring young volunteers, both individually and through seminars, gradually guiding them from simple to complex cases. His talent with training has given him the responsibility of overseeing the summer student program. Phil is a regular speaker on family law and pro bono issues, recently speaking at NLADA Equal Justice Conference, statewide Legal Advocates Conferences, the ISBA mid-year meeting, and on the ISBA’s cable production.  He is the former chair of the Chicago Bar Association's Legal Aid Committee.  Phil was the chair of the subsection of the legal service’s consortium which has both created pro-se family law forms and materials and assisted with the creation of the Domestic Relations Division’s Self-Help Center.  He also is the Legal Content Editor of the Family Law practice area of the Illinois Technology Center’s website and co-chair of the Clerk of the Circuit Court Pro Se Litigants Advisory Committee.  Phil is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and a former ISBA Assembly and ISBA Family Law Section Council member. In 2004, Phil was selected by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company as one of the "40 Attorneys Under 40 in Illinois to Watch".