Profile James Phillips

James Phillips is the founder of Phillips Law, PLLC (www.jamesphillipslaw.com and www.bestclarksvillelawyer.com).  He is a member of the American Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association. He is also a member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyer’s Association. He has been admitted to practice in Tennessee and in the United States District Court for Middle Tennessee.  He practices military law and practices military law throughout the world.  As a defense attorney in Courts-Martial, in 2010 he has had four cases where the verdict has been Not Guilty.  He has had numerous administrative separation boards with Honorable or Retention as the outcome. He has recently become involved in cases involving deployed civilian contractors working in deployed environments.

He travelled to Iraq to represent SSG Warner in US v. Warner.  In US v. Warner, the charges of premeditated murder, accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice were dismissed.  Other notable cases: represented Country Singer Terry Clark’s husband in their Nashville Divorce.

As a military law attorney, while stationed at Fort Campbell as an Army JAG, James served in Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 101st Airborne Division (AASLT) and spent three years at the Fort Campbell Office of the Staff Judge Advocate. He has proudly served as the”Strike” – Second Brigade Combat Team- Trial Counsel, represented more than a thousand clients in his capacity as a Legal Assistance Attorney and Chief of Legal Assistance. At the end of his military career, James was assigned to Trial Defense Services as a Defense Counsel at the Fort Campbell Office for Trial Defense Services Region III. He has also represented numberous clients as a Civilian Defense Counsel.

As an Attorney in the Middle District of Tennessee, James has represented numerous divorce and family law clients. He recently represented Country Singer Terry Clark’s husband in their Davidson County divorce. He also represents criminal clients and has handled cases ranging from Murder and Rape to simple public intox.

James graduated from Vanderbilt Law School in May 2001. While at Vanderbilt, he interned with the Nashville Metro District Attorney’s Office. He also successfully represented social security clients at administrative hearings while a member of the Vanderbilt Civil Legal Aid Clinic.

Among his other accomplishments, James lead the effort to establish the Mosul Office of Judicial Operation (MOJO) in April 2003 in Mosul, Iraq. His office, consisting of two Iraqi Attorneys, two military attorneys and two paralegals, tracked detainee operations and initiated the rebuilding of the Iraqi Judicial System in Northern Iraq. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his efforts in Iraq.

He is currently licensed as an Attorney in both Tennessee and Montana. He is a graduate of the Judge Advocates Officer Basic Course, Airborne School and the Primary Leadership Development Course.

Finally, as a fomer sergeant with the 18th Airborne Corps Artillery out of Fort Bragg, James is a veteran of the Gulf War. He fondly remembers being a single enlisted soldier.