Phil Stovall is a partner in Isaac Wiles’ business group and focuses his practice on debtor/creditor issues, commercial and bankruptcy litigation, insolvency, workouts, and tax controversies. Phil commonly represents debtors, creditors, and other parties in interest in commercial bankruptcy cases and in complex litigation in state and federal courts. He also advises clients with respect to out-of-court insolvency matters, including out-of-court restructuring and workouts, and in matters involving the IRS and other taxing authorities.
Prior to entering private practice, Phil served for four years as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable C. Kathryn Preston of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio. In 2021, Phil was named to the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges’ Next Generation Program, which is for up-and-coming practitioners that, among other things, have demonstrated legal excellence in the practice of bankruptcy law and a serious commitment to principles of civility, ethics, and professionalism. Currently, Phil is the co-chair of the Chapter 11 Subcommittee of the Bankruptcy Court’s Attorney Advisory Committee, which assists the Court with the development of policies and procedures for Chapter 11 cases filed in the Southern District of Ohio.
Phil received his juris doctor from the University of Toledo, College of Law, where he graduated cum laude, and his undergraduate degree from the Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business. Outside of work, Phil enjoys spending time with friends and family and cheering on The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Articles & Presentations
Articles
Presentations
•Professionalism Presentation, Bench-Bar Conference, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Ohio, 2016
•Case Law Update & Professionalism, Bankruptcy Law Institute, Columbus Bar Association, 2016
•Case Law Update, Bankruptcy Law Institute, Columbus Bar Association, 2015
Experience
•Representation of a counterparty to service contracts in disputes related to “cure amounts” in a Chapter 11 case filed by a hospital system in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
•Representation of healthcare businesses with respect to the sale of assets to a hospital system.
•Representation of counterparties to unexpired leases in jointly administered Chapter 11 cases filed by an international footwear chain in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
•Representation of the largest unsecured creditor in a Chapter 11 case filed by a textbook distribution company in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
•Representation of businesses and individuals in tax audits and various disputes with state taxing authorities and the IRS.
•Representation of a secured creditor in a receivership of a construction company filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
•Representation of court-appointed receivers in several receiverships filed in various state courts in Ohio.
•Representation of a Chapter 13 debtor in an adversary proceeding against the IRS seeking a determination that the debtor was not a “responsible person” for the purpose of determining liability for a company’s trust fund taxes.
•Representation of debtors and creditors in various non-consumer Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases.
•Represent a retail energy provider, as debtor and debtor-in-possession, in a complex Chapter 11 case filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
•Represent creditors holding claims in excess of $10 million in proceedings challenging the extent and validity of mechanic’s liens in complex Chapter 11 cases filed by coal companies.
Honors
•The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation - Bankruptcy, 2022-2023
•Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Creditor Debtor Rights: Business, 2023
