Philip S. Phillips (September 27, 1948 – January 29, 2023)

A friend and colleague who helped shape the law firm we have today.. Phil will be greatly missed. His life and legacy will continue to live on through his family and the impact he had on our community. The entire GJBD law team sends our deepest condolences and love to the Phillips family.

Phil grew up in Hammond, Indiana with his four sisters. Following High School, he became a graduate of Milligan College (A.B., 1970) in Johnson City, Tennessee and the Moritz School of Law at The Ohio State University (J.D., cum laude, 1975) in Columbus, Ohio. He also attended the Cincinnati Bible Seminary and the Emmanuel School of Religion. He was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio in 1975 and was also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit.

Phil and his family first moved to Zanesville in 1977 to open the Southeastern Ohio Legal Services office. In the early 1980s, Phil opened his private practice law firm in downtown Zanesville and in 1990 joined the Gottlieb, Johnston, Beam, & Dal Ponte law firm where he worked as a partner until retiring from practice in 2022. Phil also served as the Zanesville City Law Director during the years of 1984 – 1994.

In his private life, Phil was an active member of First Christian Church where he taught the Koinonia Sunday School class for many years. He was also active with the Muskingum County Democrats and was a leader in the development of youth soccer programs in the Zanesville area. To know Phil was to know love and compassion. Phil spent his life caring for others while treating everyone with love and respect. The loss of Phil will leave a hole in many hearts, and he will be dearly missed by his friends and family.