Caleb Phillips

Of Counsel
Contact
P 913.327.5127 | F 913.345.0736
Caleb Phillips – Spencer Fane attorney

Overview

Caleb Phillips draws on over ten years of litigation and counseling experience to help businesses and individuals navigate complex legal issues and disputes. His practice focuses on securities litigation and compliance, employment law, and white-collar defense. Above all, Caleb prioritizes providing communicative and comprehensive client service so his clients can focus on their goals and business objectives.

Having served both as a public official and as a private attorney, Caleb brings a unique perspective to case management, and he carries the broad-and-deep experience necessary to shoulder his clients’ needs at each step of the risk-management and litigation process—from providing preventive guidance on compliance issues to shepherding clients through case initiation, motion practice, discovery, trial, and appeal. In the summer of 2020, Missouri Governor Mike Parson appointed Caleb to serve as the Prosecuting Attorney for Nodaway County, Missouri. There, he successfully tried several cases to jury verdicts, implemented a victims-first system of case management, and obtained victories for hundreds of victims. In private practice, Caleb has established a proven track record in representing investment advisers, broker-dealers, and businesses in a broad range of industries (large and small) in securities matters, employment disputes, and litigated commercial cases throughout the country.

Prior to entering private practice, Caleb served as a judicial clerk for Judge Zel M. Fischer of the Missouri Supreme Court. He also served as a judicial clerk for Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

Credentials

Education

  • Indiana University Mauer School of Law, 2013 (J.D.), summa cum laude
  • University of Missouri – Columbia, 2010 (B.S.), magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

  • Kansas, 2014
  • Missouri, 2013

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas

  • Represented financial companies and investment professionals regarding compliance with, and litigation involving, federal and state securities laws, rules, and regulations, including the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and rules promulgated by the SEC, FINRA, MSRB, and state agencies.
  • Successfully advocated on behalf of both employers and employees in emergency proceedings involving employment agreements, noncompete covenants, non-solicitation agreements, and misappropriation of trade secrets.
  • Filed and tried an expedited case of first impression, resulting in a full victory within 17 days of filing, enforcing Missouri property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing liens. Drafted the winning appellate brief to obtain affirmance on appeal.
  • Drafted the winning appellate briefs to obtain reversal of an erroneous order dismissing a client’s suit to recoup approximately $750,000 in local tax overcharges.
  • Drafted a winning motion for partial directed verdict in a seven-day civil jury trial involving alleged violations of consumer protection laws. Assisted in obtaining a full defense jury verdict.
  • Successfully tried multiple state criminal cases to jury verdict as lead trial counsel and assisted in managing the adjudication of numerous federal trials.

  • Rotary Club of Maryville, Missouri, 2020-2022
  • Shepherd’s Center of Kansas City Central, Board Member, 2018-2020; Counsel, 2017-2018
  • Midwest Innocence Project Next Generation Advisory Board, Vice President, 2017-2018; Secretary-Treasurer, 2016-2017
  • Mid-Missouri Young Lawyers Association, Treasurer 2014-2015

  • Indiana University Maurer School of Law Academic Achievement Award
  • CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Trial Advocacy and Advanced Civil Procedure
  • Indiana Law Journal
  • Order of the Coif
  • Beta Gamma Sigma