About Eric W.
Eric W. Phelps built a varied academic foundation before entering the practice of law. He holds an M.A. in Bioethics from Trinity International University (2007), a J.D. from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School (1998), and two bachelor’s degrees: a B.A. in History and Social Science from the University of Mary Washington (1995) and a B.A. in Education from Eastern Michigan University (1985). Those degrees span law, ethics and the liberal arts. They inform how he thinks about the problems clients bring him.
He began his legal career shortly after law school. His first listed position is as an associate at Smith & Johnson in 1998. A year later he moved to Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge as an associate, where he spent the next several years refining courtroom routines and client work. Those early stints gave him practical exposure to litigation and firm practice.
In 2004 he became a partner at Zimmerman, Kuhn, Darling, Boyd, Quandt & Phelps. The role carried greater responsibility. He balanced case work alongside business and supervisory duties typical of firm partners. Colleagues and clients from that period described him as steady and procedural in approach, preferring clear analysis over flourish.
By 2011 he was managing partner at Phelps Legal Group. As managing partner he oversaw the firm’s operations and direction. He shifted between case strategy and administrative oversight. The move to Phelps Legal Group also marked a step toward building a practice with his name on the door.
Phelps is admitted to practice in Michigan and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He works in both state and federal arenas. That dual admission allows him to handle appeals and trial-level matters that cross those jurisdictions.
His master’s in bioethics adds a layer to his legal perspective. It provides extra context when matters touch on medical, ethical or policy questions. He applies that background in advising clients where law and ethical considerations overlap.
Today he serves as managing partner at Phelps Legal Group PLC. He continues to handle litigation and client counseling in Michigan and before the Sixth Circuit, combining courtroom experience with an academic grounding in ethics in his current practice focus.
