Neal J. Philip

Trial and Appeal

Neal Philip is a trial and appellate lawyer admitted in Washington and Oregon. For over 30 years Neal has fought for his clients at the trial and appellate level throughout Washington and Oregon in both state and federal court.  His experience includes numerous jury trials, both live and virtual.

Practice

A Super Lawyers® and Best Lawyers in America® top-rated attorney, Neal represents individuals and businesses at all stages of legal conflict -- pre-suit, during litigation, and post-litigation, including appeal. His experience includes cases involving such issues as:

• Personal injury, 
• Wrongful death, 
• Director/officer misconduct, 
• Insurance coverage, including bad faith litigation and violations of the Insurance Fair Conduct Act, 
• Professional negligence and liability, 
• Construction issues,
• Employment misconduct/wrongful termination, 
• Discrimination and harassment, 
• Elder abuse, 
• Products liability, and 
• Murder

Service

One of Neal’s proudest achievements as a lawyer is being part of the first Innocence Project Northwest legal team to help a wrongfully convicted man get released from prison after he served 5 years in prison for his purported (and false) role in the Wenatchee “sex ring” allegations in the mid-1990s.  He served as board chair of Lawyers Helping Hungry Children from 2009 to 2011 and was presented with Children’s Alliance’s “Voices for Children” award in 2010.  Neal is also very proud and honored to have been part of Vashon Island Fire & Rescue, first as a volunteer firefighter from 2002 to 2007, and then as an elected Fire Commissioner from 2007 to 2013.

Admissions

• Washington State Courts
• Oregon State Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Washington
• U.S. District Court, District of Oregon

Memberships

• Washington State Bar Association
• Oregon State Bar Association
• Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Association
• Northwest Insurance Coverage Association
• Lawyers Helping Hungry Children (board chair, 2009-2011)
• Innocence Project Northwest

Examples of Mr. Philip’s experience can be found in the following decisions:

• Taylor v. Unigard Ins. Co., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 130696 (W.D. Wash. 2016)
• Coomes v. Edmonds School Dist. No. 15, 816 F. 3d 1255 (9th Cir. 2016)
• Alexander Mfg. v. Illinois Union Ins. Co., 560 F.3d 984 (9th Cir. 2009)
• Oregon Schools Activities Ass’n v. National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa., 279 Fed. Appx. 494 (9th Cir. 2008)
• Specialty Surplus Ins. Co. v. Lexington Ins. Co., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 60623 (2007)
• Boggs v. City of Seattle, 2004 LEXIS 2407 (2004)
• Amazon.com Intern., Inc. v. American Dynasty Surplus Lines Ins. Co., 120 Wn. App. 610, 85 P.3d 974 (2004)
• State v. Calegar, 133 Wn.2d 718, 947 P.2d 235 (1997)
• State v. Clark, 129 Wn.2d 211, 916 P.2d 384 (1996)

Presentations

• Preserving Your Case for Appeal: Tips for the Non-Appellate Attorney
  Washington State Bar Association CLE, Seattle, Washington (July 31, 2009)
• The Duty to Defend in the Northwest: Bad Faith and Covenant Judgments
  Chartis Insurance, Jersey City, New Jersey (October 15, 2007)

Publications

• Bad Faith in Oregon? The Oregon Court of Appeals Cracks Open the Door…, GRSM Insurance Coverage Law Blog (February 4, 2022)

Education

J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 1992

B.A., English, University of Washington, 1989

Honors

Super Lawyers® distinction in the field of Insurance Coverage

Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Insurance Law (2022-2025)