Page 91 - ACTL_Win23

JOHN W.
AND SUSAN
DAUNHAUER
PHILLIPS
THEY NOT ONLY ARE FELLOWS OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF TRIAL LAWYERS TOGETHER, AND HUSBAND AND WIFE TOGETHER, BUT THEY PRACTICE LAW TO- GETHER AS WELL. JOHN W. PHILLIPS, ’08, AND SUSAN DAUNHAUER PHILLIPS ’04, ARE LEADERS IN THE LAW AND IN THEIR COMMUNITY IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, AND BOTH INSPIRE OTHER YOUNG LAWYERS TO FOLLOW IN THEIR PATHS.
John grew up in a small town in southern Kentucky (Franklin) on a farm with three siblings. His older sister became a teacher, and his two younger brothers both became lawyers, today acting as prosecutors in that same small town. His dad was an educator and a farmer, and John says he was one of the smartest guys he knew. He almost worked himself to death phys- ically. But there was a lawyer in town who although pretty much an idiot, did drive a nice car, married a pretty girl and drank good wines at night. John thought there was something wrong with that picture and decided that he, too, would go to law school. He wanted to earn a living thinking and speaking and reading and writing, and thus far, the law has been ev- erything he ever wanted in a career. He loves every day he comes to work.
Susan grew up in a big Catholic family (seven children) in Louisville, and always thought she wanted to be a special education teacher. She was never encouraged to think beyond teaching, but on a whim she started taking some legal classes at the University of Kentucky. She found it very interest- ing and took the LSAT (obviously doing well) and was accepted into law school. Her mother was very encouraging, her father not so much. He was not happy that she was taking the place in law school of some young man who would need to support his family. He did, however, eventually come around and was both proud and happy of his lawyer daughter.
The two met while undergraduates at the University of Kentucky at a fra- ternity party on January 15, 1975; they dated on and off (John says he was always on, and she was sometimes off ), and then married on May 24, 1980, just one year before both got their law degrees in the spring of 1981. They both took associate positions at a Louisville firm in 1981, and they both
decided to leave in 1999 when their mentor (Fellow William Guethlein) was about to retire. They convinced Guethlein to come with them and help start the new firm of Phillips, Parker, Orberson & Arnett PLC, in Louisville. It is not exactly clear which of them is the “Phillips” in the firm’s title, since both were founding partners.
The two find it easy to practice together. Al- though they work in the same firm and have similar practices, they do not handle cases together. Susan says they did work together on one matter once, but they have different styles and approaches to the law. “One was enough,” she says. She describes John’s style as “more aggressive” while she has a softer approach. Still, it is easier because when one is in trial, the other understands that he or she has to do everything else in the house- hold because the one going to trial can only focus on the trial. And, as John says, they each know exactly what the other one does.
Susan said she can come home and say, “I had a deposition all day with Attorney X,” and John will say, “sit down, prop up your feet, and I will bring you a drink.” “It’s just easier because we understand the pressures and know the personalities. We do talk shop quite a bit, but not excessively.”
WINTER 2023 JOURNAL 90