About Michelle
Michelle Caiola graduated from Kent State University in 1989 and earned her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1994. She built her legal foundation in law school and entered practice soon after. Her education set the stage for a career that spans state and federal courts.
She is a lawyer at Phillips & Associates, Lawyers at Law, PLLC. Over the years she has secured admissions to a range of trial and appellate forums. Those admissions include the states of New York and Missouri, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Second and Ninth Circuits, and several federal district courts: the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, and the Northern District of California. That roster of jurisdictions reflects a practice that operates across different levels of the federal system as well as in state court.
Her professional memberships align with the subjects she takes on. She belongs to the National Employment Lawyers Association and the Disability Rights Bar Association. She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association and the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers. Those associations signal regular engagement with employment and disability matters and with trial practice.
In the courtroom she handles litigation that reaches both district courts and appellate panels. Her admission to multiple federal districts and circuits allows her to pursue appeals when cases move beyond initial trials. Membership in trial-focused organizations suggests a steady involvement in contested matters and courtroom procedure, rather than purely transactional work.
Clients and colleagues describe her work in practical terms: litigation in employment and disability cases, handling claims in both state and federal venues, and preparation for trial when necessary. She maintains a practice that frequently intersects administrative processes, trial calendars, and appellate filings. She has worked across jurisdictions to pursue remedies under federal and state statutes.
Today she remains at Phillips & Associates, Lawyers at Law, PLLC, where she continues to take cases in the areas reflected by her memberships and admissions. Her current practice focuses on employment litigation and disability rights.
