Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP Partner Brad Phillips Appointed as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge

Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP partner Bradley S. Phillips was appointed to serve as a judge on the Los Angeles Superior Court. Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment Monday.

A Yale Law School alumnus, Mr. Phillips will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John A. Torribio. 

Mr. Phillips joined the Munger Tolles partnership in 1984. Prior to joining Munger Tolles in 1979, he was a law clerk for U.S. District Judge William Matthew Byrne Jr. for the Central District of California.

Mr. Phillips’ practice consists principally of complex civil litigation in the trial and appellate courts. He has been lead counsel in jury trials in state and federal courts. With an extensive appellate practice, Mr. Phillips has argued in the U.S. Supreme Court, in the California Supreme Court, the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals and the California Courts of Appeal.

Consistently ranked as a leading antitrust attorney by Chambers USA, Mr. Phillips was also recognized as 2018 Antitrust Lawyer of the Year in Los Angeles by The Best Lawyers in America.

“Brad is an outstanding lawyer whose lawyering excellence is matched by his pro bono professional commitment to those most in need. He has inspired many of our younger lawyers with his lawyering and dedication to our most important professional obligations,” said Ronald Olson, name partner of Munger Tolles. “I am confident Brad will further distinguish our Superior Court and generate mutual respect and collegiality within the judiciary and with the people the Court serves.”

Mr. Phillips is the former co-chair of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where he also had a years-long stint as a member of the executive committee and a regional vice chair. Mr. Phillips is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and served as a member of the board of directors of the California Bar Foundation. He  was president of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles in 1992-1993.

Several Munger Tolles alumni have gone on to serve in the state and federal judiciaries. The firm encourages its attorneys to serve in their communities.  About 80% of our attorneys served as law clerks to federal or state judges, including 15 attorneys who clerked for U.S. Supreme Court justices.