Phyllis C. Spence

Senior Of Counsel   |   Roanoke »

Phyllis Spence
Assistant: Jennifer Larson   |   540.527.2014 Paralegal: Donna Sensabaugh   |   540.527.2015 Paralegal: Vickie Newman   |   540.527.2325

Phyllis C. Spence

Senior Of Counsel   |   Roanoke »

Phyllis has practiced as a civil defense trial attorney in Central and Southwest Virginia for seventeen years, trying cases in both state and federal court. She has represented hundreds of individual and commercial clients in a variety of civil tort and contract matters, including clients involved in automobile accidents, premises liability, slip and fall, product liability, contractor-subcontractor and intellectual property disputes. Phyllis also has extensive experience with Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), including mediation, Judicial Settlement Conference, and arbitration.

Phyllis will focus her practice at Harman Claytor on the defense of civil litigation matters, including transportation, premises liability, and insurance-related matters.

  • Defense Research Institute
  • Federal Bar Association – Western District of Virginia Chapter
    • Board Member
    • Chair of the Membership Committee
  • Roanoke Bar Association
  • Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
  • Virginia Bar Association
  • The Ted Dalton American Inn of Court

Community Activities

  • Peace Corps Environmental Action Volunteer – Benin, West Africa (1996-1998)
    • Worked with community leaders to plan and execute the creation of an eco-tourism park within the village of Niaouli to protect its vanishing tropical forest
    • Composed and conducted training sessions for eco-park tour guides
    • Conducted technical and cross-cultural training for newly arrived volunteers
  • Davis v. Lake, Case No. 6:22-cv-00050, Dec. 22, 2022, WDVA Lynchburg (Judge Moon).  VLW 022-3-558.
  • Davidson College, B.A (1995)
  • University of Missouri School of Law, J.D. (2005)
    • University of Virginia School of Law (visiting Spring Semester 2005)
    • George Mason University School of Law (visiting Fall semester 2004)
      • Externship with Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
  • Virginia State Bar
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
  • Supreme Court of Virginia