Phil Zimmerly is a partner in the Labor and Employment and Litigation Groups. His litigation practice has included cases involving employment law, education law, class actions, business and contract disputes, data privacy, intellectual property, trademarks, constitutional law, property disputes, civil rights and personal injury. He has represented clients during investigations by various administrative agencies and the NCAA, at administrative and court hearings, and at jury trials in both federal and state courts. He also has represented clients in appeals to the Indiana Court of Appeals, the Indiana Supreme Court, the Kentucky Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Circuits.
Prior to joining Bose McKinney & Evans in October 2012, Phil served as a judicial law clerk for The Honorable Bobby Shepherd on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and The Honorable Yvette Kane in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He was also legislative counsel for the ranking member on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and the Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts. During law school, Phil was a legal intern at the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. He graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law.
Phil is actively involved in coaching and mentorship, serving as the chair of the firm’s associates committee and as a member of the firm’s Opportunity, Inclusion and Success committee. Since 2014, he has coached youth soccer through Upward Soccer, Hendricks Community Soccer, and at Bethesda Christian School. Since 2019, Phil has facilitated a weekly basketball ministry (Church Ball) at his church. In 2023 and 2024, he served as a volunteer coach for basketball camps in Craiova, Romania. He is a past volunteer with the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, the Starfish Initiative and the Brownsburg Community School Corporation’s Real Men Read program. He is a five-time participant in Mickey’s Camp, a local fundraiser for community leaders. Phil also currently serves on the school board at Bethesda Christian School.
Honors / Awards
• Indianapolis Bar Association, Distinguished fellow (2020)
• U.S. District Court (s.D. Ind.) Honor Roll (2016 and 2019)
• Indiana Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition (2017-2018)
• Up and Coming Lawyer, Indiana Lawyer Leadership in Law (2016)
• Junior Achievement ‘s Best and Brightest Award Finalist in the Law Category (2016)
Appearances / Publications
• On Topic: Who Pays My Attorney’s Fees if I Win My Case? Bose McKinney & Evans LLP (Sept. 27, 2021)
• Presentation to IU McKinney Law School Bioethics and Law Class regarding Indiana Revised Anatomical Gift Act, Indianapolis, IN (Nov. 13, 2020)
• On Topic: Understand the Difference Between Paid and Unpaid Interns Bose McKinney & Evans LLP (Nov. 4, 2020)
• Jeffrey Halbert and Philip R. Zimmerly, Developing and Representing the Indiana Business: Employment Law Considerations, Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, Indianapolis, IN (September 10, 2020)
• Strategies For Winning Your Unemployment Compensation Case, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP Seminar for Auto Dealers, Indianapolis, IN (March 5, 2019)
• Maintaining a Violence-Free Workplace, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP Seminar for Auto Dealers, Indianapolis, IN (March 5, 2019)
• Hot Topics in Employment Law: Risky Business: Fighter Jets, Handbooks, and the NLRB, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP Labor and Employment Seminar, Carmel, IN (Sept. 27, 2018)
• Risky Business: Fighter Jets, Handbooks, Interns, and Retaliation, Indiana Banker’s Association HR Director’s Forum, Indianapolis, IN (July 17, 2018)
• On Topic - Marijuana Use and Employee Termination Bose McKinney & Evans LLP (Apr. 20, 2018)
• On Topic - Part 1 Employee vs. Independent Contractor: The IRS Test Bose McKinney & Evans LLP (Jan. 3, 2018)
• On Topic - Part 2 Employee vs. Independent Contractor: The U.S. Department of Labor Test, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP (Jan. 3, 2018)
• On Topic - Part 3 Employee vs. Independent Contractor: Department of Workforce Development, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP (Dec. 27, 2017)
• Challenging and Winning Unemployment Compensation Claims,Indiana Banker’s Association HR Director’s Forum, Indianapolis, IN (Sept. 2, 2015)
• Admitted Students Open House Alumni Panels, The University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa, AL (Various Dates 2010 - 2022)
