Phil Guess focuses his litigation practice on complex business disputes and has particular experience representing clients in the technology, energy, and financial services industries. He has served on the firmwide management committee and as the managing partner of the Seattle office.

Phil is currently listed in Chambers USA as one of the top lawyers in Washington for General Commercial Litigation and has represented clients in courts throughout the United States in cases involving contractual breaches, usurpation of trade secrets, tortious interference, and class action allegations, among other issues.

For clients’ technology disputes, Phil provides particular experience in contractual disputes regarding the ownership or disposition of intellectual property as well as disputes representing business against consumers. For clients engaged in energy-related industries, Phil offers particular experience with allegations surrounding supply contact breaches, breaches of non-compete and/or trade secret disputes, as well as federal preemption issues.

Phil has represented financial services clients in a number of high stakes cases. For example, he represented and advised numerous clients regarding Bernard Madoff and Bernard L. Madoff Securities, LLC. Likewise, Phil represented the Trustee in In Re: Consolidated Meridian Funds, which involved a $220 million real estate scheme, the largest fraud of its kind in the Pacific Northwest.

Phil also represented the Bayou Unofficial Creditors' Committee and Bayou Official Creditors' Committee, In re Bayou Hedge Fund Litigation, assisting institutional investors in the Bayou family of hedge funds to recover in excess of $75 million in what was, at the time, the largest Ponzi Scheme in United States history. Phil is also an experienced securities litigator, handling cases alleging securities fraud and dissenters’ rights cases in state and federal court. Finally, Phil has represented companies, fund managers and institutional investors in matters involving or disputes with the Securities & Exchange Commission, Securities Investor Protection Corporation, and Washington State Department of Financial Institutions.  

About Us: The legal market is rapidly changing, and so is the practice of law. It is both science and art. Clients want their law firm to be diligent and meticulous, but they also want it to solve problems with innovation and creativity. 

At K&L Gates, we foster an inclusive and collaborative environment across our fully integrated global platform that enables us to diligently combine the knowledge and expertise of our lawyers and policy professionals to create teams that provide exceptional client solutions. We marry process with vision, success with dedication, and method with passion.