Anthony D. Phillips

Partner

  • Office Contact Info
  • Biography

    Anthony D. Phillips is a partner in the San Francisco office and a member of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group. He represents businesses in complex cases involving contracts, corporate governance, fraud, intellectual property matters, unfair competition, and other business torts.

    Anthony defends and prosecutes claims for businesses and individuals.  His litigation practice encompasses the full range of pretrial motions, discovery in the United States and abroad, trial, and appeals.  He counsels clients first on strategy, accounting for the unique aspects and client objectives of each case.  Recognizing that most cases settle, positioning cases for resolution through direct negotiation or alternate dispute resolution is an integral part of every engagement.

    Prior to law school, Anthony worked as the Director of Product Management for an emerging-growth software company where he learned firsthand how to build, grow, and run a business.

    Admissions

    • California
    • U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern and Central Districts of California
    • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

    Memberships

    • St. Thomas More Society Of San Francisco, President, 2018
  • Practice Areas
  • Representative Experience
    • Represented software developer in federal litigation of contract and copyright claims arising out of licensing cloud-based clinical trial management software.
    • Represented a software company in California state court litigation of contract, fraud, business interference, and trade secret claims arising out of custom software development project.
    • Represented software provider in federal litigation of fraud and tortious interference claims arising out of implementation project.
    • Represented shareholders in securities fraud and corporate dissolution proceedings of clean energy venture.
    • Defended corporation and CEO of clean energy start up against shareholder fraud claims.
    • Defended online retailer in federal court against claims of copyright and trademark infringement.
    • Defended professional fiduciary in federal court against claims of professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty in administration of California trust.
    • Defended board members in corporate governance dispute arising out of liquidation of international joint venture in energy industry.
    • Completed three-week bench trial on breach of contract claims arising out of complex software implementation project in the healthcare industry. 
    • Litigated securities fraud class actions in mortgage-backed securities cases in state and federal courts.
  • Publications & Presentations

    Publications

    • When Handshake Deals Become Bare-Knuckle Brawls, Marijuana Venture magazine, September 2018
    • Welcome to The Terrordome: California Consumer Litigation, Marijuana Venture magazine, April 2018
    • California Struggles to Launch Its New Distribution Model, Marijuana Venture magazine, August 2018
    • Reaping The Whirlwind: Northern California Cannabis Farmers Pay an Unfair Price in The State’s Wildfires, Marijuana Venture magazine, January 2018
    • California Appellations: At The Border of Weed Country, Sun Grower magazine, Winter 2017
    • California’s Proposition 65 Bounty Hunters Target the Cannabis Industry, Marijuana Venture magazine, November 2017
    • Changing Shape: Nonprofits Prep for The For-Profit World, Marijuana Venture magazine, October 2017
    • When State Licensing and Federal Prohibition Collide, guest post for Green Bits blog, September 14, 2017
    • Unfair Competition Litigation: The Gloves Have Come Off, Marijuana Venture magazine, September 2017
    • All That Glitters: White Collar Crime Joins the Green Rush, Marijuana Venture magazine, August 2017
    • Dual Licensing Sets the Tone for California’s New Rules, Marijuana Venture magazine, December 2016

    Presentations

    • Trial Practice For Expert Witnesses, CalCPA Forensic Expert Leadership Program, San Francisco CA, October 2018
    • California’s Green Rush: Insights Into the Cannabis Industry, CalCPA Annual Conference, Oakland CA, May 2017
  • Education

    Education

    J.D., cum laude, University of San Francisco School of Law, 2008

    • McAuliffe Honor Society
    • Judicial Extern to the Hon. Joanne C. Parrilli, California Court of Appeal
    • Intellectual Property Law Bulletin

    B.A., Combined Honours, History and Politics, University of York, 1996

    Honors

    Super Lawyers® Rising Star (2011-2018)

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