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Profile
Mr. Phifer has more than twenty-five years of experience representing employers in employment-related and benefits-related litigation. In that time he has twice been involved as counsel in employment law cases before the United States Supreme Court, including the landmark case of Gilmer v. Interstate/Johnson Lane Corp., 500 U.S. 20 (1991). Mr. Phifer has represented clients in diverse industries, including manufacturing, construction, service, transportation, trucking, healthcare, financial, retail and food processing, as well as public sector clients.
Experience
Selected Reported Cases:
Gilmer v. Interstate/Johnson Lane Corp., 500 U.S. 20 (1991) (upholding order compelling Plaintiff to arbitrate his ADEA claim).
Harrison v. Edison Brothers Apparel Stores, Inc., 151 F.3d 176 (4th Cir. 1998) (affirming trial court decision in sex harassment action that set aside adverse jury verdict and entered judgment for employer).
Ard v. Southwest Forest Industries, Inc., 849 F.2d 517 (11th Cir. 1988) (affirming defense verdict in ADEA reduction-in-force case).
Barnes v. Southwest Forest Industries, Inc., 814 F.2d 607 (11th Cir. 1987) (affirming summary judgment for employer in ADEA reduction-in-force case).
Education and Honors
J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law, 1977
B.A., University of South Carolina, 1973
- Member, South Carolina Law Review (1975-77)
- Executive Editor 1976-77
- Wig & Robe Honor Society
- Instructor, Legal Writing 1976-77
Professional Activities
- South Carolina Bar (Employment and Labor Law Section)
- North Carolina Bar (Labor and Employment Law Section)
- American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section and Subcommittee on Employee Benefits Law)
- Mecklenburg County Bar Association
- National Retail Federation (Committee on Employment Law)
South Carolina
U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Eleventh Circuits
North Carolina
U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
U.S. Supreme Court