Phillip Russell

Practice Areas

Workplace Safety and Health, Leaves of Absence/Reasonable Accommodation, Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets, Traditional Labor Relations, Employment Law, Litigation, Trial, Workplace Investigations and Organizational Assessments, Drug Testing, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

Career

Phillip is a board-certified OSHA and employment lawyer, litigator, and advisor. He has 30 years of experience as a strategic, practical, and trusted partner to employers on labor and employment law compliance and litigation matters. One of Phillip’s strengths is developing teams and deploying resources to ensure clients receive the best service and results.

OSHA Inspections, Citations, and Litigation. Phillip and his teams have helped clients with over 225 workplace fatality inspections and several hundred other inspections. Their goal is to avoid or minimize OSHA citations while helping clients improve safety. Phillip and his teams work with in-house counsel, safety professionals, HR, and executive leadership to navigate through complex and trying times by bringing calm to chaos and a plan to uncertainty. One client’s in-house attorney said, “Phillip and his team gave us calm and clarity with practical solutions to help our people and our business after we had a fatal accident on one our job sites.”

Through his leadership in responding to a multi-person, high-stakes workplace fatality for a client, Phillip exemplified the firm’s Client Pledge to serve clients at the highest level through value, innovation, quality, collaboration, and communication. The client’s general counsel commented that, “Phillip responded to the crisis with a firm understanding of the legal issues and business impact and lead the team with resolve, focus, and a plan.” (Ogletree Deakins Living the Client Pledge Award 2018.)

OSHA Training and Advice. Phillip works with clients to train and educate safety professionals and management on what to do if OSHA shows up and other related topics.

OSHA Regulatory, Policy Advocacy, and Thought Leader. Phillip represents and advises industry associations and large national employers regarding OSHA’s regulatory and policy initiatives and priorities. He was a leading voice for employers in opposing the COVID Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately struck down. Phillip is recognized as a thought leader on OSHA and workplace safety and health legal issues. He hosts the firm’s OSHA podcast Dirty Steel-Toe Boots, has twice edited the ABA’s seminal treatise on OSHA law, regularly posts OSHA updates on LinkedIn, and speaks and writes regularly for industry groups and professional associations.

Employment Litigator and Strategic Advisor. Phillip serves as lead counsel on high-stakes employment litigation matters that pose significant risk to his client’s business. He is also a strategic, practical, and trusted legal advisor on labor and employment matters. Phillip helps his clients by mobilizing firm and third-party resources using his experience, knowledge, and business understanding to drive strategy recommendations.

Professional Memberships

Professional Activities

Phillip engages with his clients and their industries through industry, bar, and professional associations.

Industry Associations

• Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA): labor and employment counsel; safety committee co-Chair 2016-2020; safety committee member; speaker; author

• American Road and Transportation Builders’ Association (ARTBA): member; speaker; author

• Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), National: member, speaker, author

• Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), Florida West Coast Chapter: counsel; speaker

• Meat Institute: speaker

Safety

• American Society of Safety Professionals, National: member, speaker

• American Society of Safety Professionals, Central Florida and West Florida Chapters: speaker

Bar Associations

• American Bar Association, Workplace and Occupational Safety & Health Law Committee: member, speaker, and editor of ABA’s Treatise on Workplace Safety and Health Law

• Academy of Florida Management Attorneys: Co-chair, OSHA Committee

• America Bar Association: Labor & Employment and Litigation Sections

• College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (since 2023): Fellow

• Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) – West Central Florida Chapter: Sponsor, speaker, author

• Florida Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section: Member, speaker

• Hillsborough County Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section Co-Chair, 2008-2009

• Georgia Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section: member

Human Resources

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and numerous SHRM Chapters, including HR Florida, HR Tampa, Sarasota-Manatee Human Resources Association (SHRA), Big Bend Society for Human Resource Management (BBSHRM), Keys SHRM, Lake Sumter SHRM, HR Association of Broward County (HRABC), and others: member, speaker, and author

Community Service / Charitable Activities

• Autism Inspired Academy: co-founder; director; and scholarship committee member

• Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Inc.: Board Member (Governor Appointed) (May 2016-2020)

Personal

Personal. Phillip and his wife, Liz, are parents to two adult daughters, Madison, and Ally, and one teenage son, Gavin. He loves spending time with his family and boating, diving, spear fishing, fishing, and hunting. Phillip’s first job was bagging groceries and stocking shelves in his family’s grocery stores. He is a Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech, and he never wears red and black!

Advocate for Autism Issues and Awareness. Phillip and Liz co-founded Autism Inspired Academy in Clearwater, Florida. The non-profit school helps children on the spectrum build and sustain lives of meaning, purpose, and joy. The school has approximately 155 enrolled students, including their 17-year-old son, Gavin.