Phillip Bryant engages in a variety of civil litigation defense cases in federal and state courts throughout Missouri and Southern Illinois.  He has tried cases, presented arguments in appellate courts, and has been involved in mediation and arbitration.  He is experienced in handling complex cases that involve catastrophic injuries, multiple plaintiffs and multiple defendants.

Transportation

Phillip is experienced in representing local, regional and national clients in the trucking industry throughout the litigation process.  He works with transportation clients in all aspects of their business including immediate response investigations after catastrophic accidents, safety policies/training, regulatory compliance and general risk management.  Among Phillip’s experience prior to becoming an attorney is purchasing in the livestock feed industry, a role that required close dealings with trucking firms and their drivers.  These experiences help Phillip in protecting the interests of trucking and transportation companies in many facets, but particularly in catastrophic injury and complex litigation cases.

Product Liability

Phillip’s practice also includes defending products liability cases involving a variety of products including heavy machinery, agricultural equipment and consumer goods.  His experience of operating heavy equipment and a wide range of tools while growing up on a farm affords Phillip a unique perspective in representing the manufacturers of products.  He has experience in defending product manufacturers in catastrophic injury cases involving power tools, augers, cranes, grain bins, all-terrain vehicles and many other consumer and industrial products.  Phillip provides fresh, creative ideas when faced with unusual circumstances involving a lot of moving parts.

Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith

Phillip is experienced in providing thoughtful insurance coverage opinions and guidance to avoid bad faith pitfalls.  He represents commercial insurers in complex coverage disputes involving various lines of commercial insurance.  He is experienced in providing coverage opinions and litigating coverage and bad-faith cases.  Phillip also has expertise and experience in handling complex coverage issues and litigation involving first-party property damage claims.  His skills are enhanced by his experience of having been employed by a large insurance company for several years where he was routinely involved in addressing coverage issues, both in litigation and pre-suit.

Toxic Tort

Phillip represents clients ranging from small entities to Fortune 500 companies in toxic tort liability in Madison and St. Clair Counties in Illinois and in the City of St. Louis, Missouri.  He has defended the manufacturers and distributors of brakes, electrical components and agricultural equipment.

Phillip’s varied and extensive litigation experience makes him uniquely qualified to be a strong and successful advocate for his clients.

Phillip and his wife have one son who is a college student.  Outside the office, Phillip serves as mayor of the City of Crystal Lake Park, Missouri.  Phillip enjoys exploring the Wisconsin Northwoods, weight training, gardening and cooking.

Publications and Seminars

• Speaker, “The Ethics of Leadership”, CPCU Society, St. Louis Chapter, March 2016
• Presentation, Mock Daubert Hearing – The Evidence Pit Stop, CPCU Society Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana, October 2015
• Author, “Underinsured Motorist Coverage”, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers, January 2000
• Speaker, “Innkeeper Liability”, Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri September 2006
• Speaker, Mock Trial, CPCU Society St. Louis Chapter All Industry Day, April 2008
• Speaker, “Preparing and Trying the Bodily Injury Case”, August 2008
• Speaker, “Premises Liability”, Honorable Order of the Blue Goose, St. Louis, Missouri, February 2009
• Author, “Landowner Liability for Injuries to Employees of Independent Contractors”, CPCU Society Consulting, Litigation & Expert Witness Interest Group, June 2009 Newsletter.
• Author, “Premises Liability by Landowners for Injuries to Employees of Independent Contractors”, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers, Winter 2009 Newsletter.
• Speaker, “Internal Audits of Claims Operations”, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies National Convention, San Diego, California, September 2010.
• Panel Member, “A Roll of the Dice – The 10 Most Confusing and Least Understood Policy Provisions,” CPCU Society Annual Meeting and Seminars, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2011.
• Speaker, “Extra-contractual Damages:  Unfair Claims Practices, Vexatious Refusal and Bad Faith”, St. Louis CPCU Chapter Meeting, March 2012.
• Presentation, Mock Trial – Electronic Discovery, CPCU Society Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., September 2012.
• Panel Member, The Harmonie Group Retail and Hospitality Conference, Toronto, Canada, September 2012.
• Presentation, Mock Trial – Hurricane Coverage Litigation, CPCU Society Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2013.
• Speaker, Contractual Provisions That Minimize Liability Exposures, The Charles L. Crane Agency Customer Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, September 2014.
• Presentation, Mock Mediation – The Mediation Roller Coaster: Mock Mediation of An Insurance Dispute, CPCU Society Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California, September 2014.
• Speaker, Risks to Retailers of Identity Theft and Credit Card Fraud, The Harmonie Group Retail and Hospitality Conference, Chicago, Illinois, October 2014.

Community Involvement

• Mayor, City of Crystal Lake Park, Missouri (2012 – present)
• Member, Suburban Mayors of St. Louis County (2012 – present)
• Alderman, City of Crystal Lake Park, Missouri (2008 – 2012)

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