Stephen Phillips was Special Counsel to Medtronic, Inc., a leading manufacturer of medical devices operating in more than 350 locations around the world prior to his retirement. He was primarily responsible for managing a broad range of claims and litigation while developing innovative legal strategies to minimize enterprise risk while promoting sustainable corporate growth.

Before its acquisition by Medtronic, Inc., Mr. Phillips was the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Sofamor Danek Group, Inc., a publicly traded medical device company producing spinal implants and cranial navigation systems. Among other responsibilities, Mr. Phillips managed the defense of the company in nation-wide mass tort product liability litigation which culminated in a unanimous victory in the U.S. Supreme Court (Buckman Co. v. Plaintiffs’
Legal Committee, 531 U.S. 341 (2001)).

Prior to joining Sofmor Danek Group, Inc., Mr. Phillips was a senior partner at Philadelphia-based Pepper Hamilton, LLP, where he served on the firm’s Executive Committee and chaired its Practice Management Committee. While a member of the firm, he managed complex litigation with a concentration on multi-party claims arising out of or accompanied by extensive media attention, particularly investigative television news programs (e.g., ABC News “20-20,” “60 Minutes” and “Day One”). He also counseled domestic and foreign businesses on matters relating to risk management and product liability.

Mr. Phillips has served as a member of the board of directors of a publicly traded clinical data management company and several private domestic companies. He has also served on the advisory boards of several European companies doing business in the United States.