Get to know SGB Attorney Carson Phillips-Spotts

Carson Phillips-Spotts is a personal injury attorney and shareholder at SGB. His practice focuses on representing people who have been seriously injured by negligence or dangerous and defective products, and workers who have faced discrimination, harassment, or wage theft.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in the great city of Atlanta, Georgia.

What made you want to become a lawyer?

Ever since I can remember, I’ve had an awareness of things that are unfair or unjust (my parents saved a third-grade progress report that says just that). As lawyers, we have an opportunity to tip the scales in the right direction for a person or family who may not have much power or agency outside of the court room. That is a beautiful thing. I’ve also played team sports most of my life, and I see a lot of similarities between litigation and athletics, so it is a good fit for who I am and what drives me.

Is there a case result you’re most proud of?

There are many, but a recent case sticks out. We represented a man who suffered a head injury when he was shoved by a tow truck driver—all while his partner and young children looked on in horror. Our client was a man from East Africa who worked a low-wage job. What he went through was traumatizing and demoralizing. Being able to stand by him in the litigation process and to see the impact of our team’s work on his family was special.

What was the first big case you worked on?

During my first or second year at SGB, I worked on a case involving assaults that happened back in the 1970s. This case was unique in that we weren’t just contending with the legal elements of the claims. We also had to parse through decades-old documents and records to bring the case to life and tell our clients’ story. It was like being transported to a different Seattle. I learned a ton.

What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

Spending time with family in West Seattle or on an island in the Puget Sound.