Alisa Philo
202.888.1741 | 2001 K Street NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20006
Alisa Philo is Counsel at Gupta Wessler. Alisa joined the joined the firm after nearly a decade of experience in public service at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, where she served in both the Appellate and Employment Litigation Sections. As a result of her time in government, she has deep expertise in civil-rights law, a sophisticated understanding of governmental processes, and a seasoned approach to high-stakes appellate litigation.
In the Appellate Section, Alisa served as lead counsel for numerous civil and criminal appeals and handled a broad array of statutory and constitutional issues before a variety of courts. She filed briefs as both a party and amicus, and she presented oral argument in the Second, Sixth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits. She regularly advised trial teams on critical legal questions, litigation strategy, and the risks and benefits of appeal. She also played a key role in matters before the U.S. Supreme Court, working closely with the Office of the Solicitor General on briefs at the certiorari and merits stages.
Over her career, Alisa has developed a particular expertise in employment law, voting rights, environmental justice, and systemic reform litigation. As representative examples, Alisa briefed and argued cases regarding the correct legal standards for claims arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Prison Litigation Reform Act. She also researched and drafted the United States’ amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the Elections Clause in Moore v. Harper.
Alisa earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School and received her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Yale University. She began her legal career clerking for Judge Keith Ellison in the Southern District of Texas and Judge Sandra Lynch on the First Circuit.
*Admitted in California; practicing under direct supervision of members of the D.C. Bar pursuant to Rule 49(c)(8) while her application to the D.C. bar is pending.
