Managing Partner
Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Sandra Phillips has been named managing partner of the Houston office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon. Her appointment was effective on July 1, 2004.
Phillips has extensive experience in all phases of litigation in the areas of toxic tort, products liability, and employment law. Her toxic tort and product liability practices include representation of major oil, gas, and chemical companies as trial counsel in mass tort litigation, involving as many as 1,300 personal injury claims arising from exposure to toxic chemicals, and representation of major pharmaceutical companies in mass tort litigation involving pharmaceutical and medical device liability claims. In her employment law practice, Phillips represents major oil, gas, retail, telecommunications, insurance, beverage, energy, and manufacturing companies in all aspects of employment litigation in both federal and state courts throughout Texas and in other regions. She also counsels employers in avoiding and preparing for employment litigation and complying with state and federal employment laws.
Involved in several bar associations, Phillips is chair of the Minority Issues Liaison Committee for the Employment Law Committee of the Defense Research Institute; co-regional editor of DRI’s The Job Description; and co-chair of the Judicial Polls Committee and member of the Professionalism, Campaign for the Homeless, Administrative Justice and Speakers’ Bureau Committees of the Houston Bar Association. She is a member of the Texas Association of Defense, the Federation of Defense, and Corporate Counsel, and is active in the Women’s Initiative of the United Way, Gulf Coast Region. She is also a member of SHB’s Women’s Management Council and Diversity Committee and a past member of the Search and Associates Committees. Phillips is the recipient of the 2001-02 Houston Bar Association President’s Award for outstanding service to the community and the profession, and was recently named a “Texas Rising Star for 2004” by Texas Monthly and Texas Rising Star.
Phillips earned her juris doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
To MCCA’s knowledge, she is the first African-American woman to be elected managing partner of the office of an AmLaw 200 law firm.