Phil joined the firm in September of 1979 following his graduation from the University of Idaho College of Law. He has practiced since that time primarily in the areas of tax and estate planning, probate and trust law, business law, real estate and water law, with some specialized work in the areas of employee benefit plans and HIPAA matters.
In addition to his law firm practice, he has been active in voluntary community work for over 35 years. Among his community activities are: Nampa Kiwanis Club (past president, past treasurer, current children’s reading programs coordinator, past Kiwanian of the Year); Canyon Area United Way (past president); Boise Philharmonic Association (past board member and treasurer); University of Idaho Alumni Association (past national board member; current local chapter treasurer); annual Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count team member; recipient of Idaho Education Association 2011 “A+ Friend of Education Award”; City of Nampa Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (past secretary); and Foundation for Ada/Canyon Trail Systems, Inc. also known as F.A.C.T.S. (board member and treasurer).
Born in 1946 in Lewiston, Idaho, he was raised in rural Nez Perce County, Idaho, graduating from Lewiston High School in 1964. After graduation from the University of Idaho in 1969 with a degree in accounting, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy, where he served in ships primarily deployed in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. He also served as an instructor at the Navy Supply Corps School, Athens, Georgia, where he trained supply officers for the fleet. He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for service aboard USS VERNON COUNTY (LST-1161) while operating in and about the rivers of the Republic of Vietnam in 1969 to 1971. He also served in USS PARSONS (DD-949), USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62) and USS CAMDEN (AOE-2).
Phil resides in Nampa with his wife, Pam, and has one adult daughter, Liesl, who is a Ph.D. graduate in biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is currently on the faculty of Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina, where she teaches conservation biology and ecology. He enjoys gardening, sailing, nordic skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, running, bicycling, bird watching, cooking, drawing, writing, music, reading (particularly P.G. Wodehouse, Patrick O’Brian, and Ellis Peters), good food and good wine.
