Phillip S. Figa

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Phillip S. Figa (1951 – January 5, 2008) was an American federal judge.

Figa was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a scholarship to Northwestern University through a scholarship caddie program at a nearby country club. He graduated from Northwestern in 1973 with a degree in economics and from Cornell Law School in 1976.^[1]

For over 26 years, Phil maintained a broad litigation-oriented practice representing individuals, small and growing local businesses and national corporations. He also established a reputation as an expert in the field of legal ethics, has been appointed to several state and national committees on the subject and testified as a legal ethics expert numerous times.

Phil was extremely active in bar activities including serving as Chair of the Colorado Bar Association Ethics Committee in 1984-85 and as President of the Colorado Bar Association in 1995-96. He served on the Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Committee from 1994-97. Most recently, he served on the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline. Phil also dedicated himself to community activities, including serving as Chairman of the Directors of the Mountain State Region of the Anti-Defamation League.

Phil has been recognized with several awards including nomination into the International Society of Barristers (membership limited to “600 outstanding trial lawyers dedicated to excellence and integrity in advocacy”), the American Bar Foundation (membership limited to 1/3 of 1% of state’s bar) and the Colorado Bar Foundation. In 1998, he was honored by the Colorado Supreme Court for “outstanding leadership of the Coalition for the Independence of the Colorado Judiciary.” He has served as an instructor in the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and at the University of Denver College of Law.^[1]

President Bush appointed Figa to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado in 2003. He was one of five names submitted to the White House by Colorado Sens. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Wayne Allard.^[2] Figa presided over the Maxwell v. Kerr-McGee Corp. trial which involved a whistleblower lawsuit brought by a former Interior Dept. auditor, which accused Kerr McGee of failing to pay millions of dollars in federal royalties.^[3]

In March 2007, Figa was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor.^[3] He continued to serve until his death. He died saturday January 5, 2008 at home surrounded by his family.