Julian McPhillips Jr.

Julian Lenwood McPhillips Jr., a devoted husband and father, distinguished attorney renowned for his unwavering commitment to justice and civil rights, and dedicated leader in Montgomery, Alabama, passed away on April 12, 2025, in Atlanta. He was 78 years old and died from complications of the disease Lewy Body Dementia.

Born on November 13, 1946, in Birmingham, Alabama, McPhillips was raised in Cullman. He was the son of the Rev. Julian L. McPhillips Sr., an Episcopal priest from Mobile, Alabama, and Eleanor Elizabeth Dixon McPhillips from New Orleans, Louisiana. A gifted athlete and graduate of Sewanee Military Academy, he became an All-American wrestler at Princeton University and graduated cum laude with a degree in history in 1968. He earned his law degree from Columbia Law School in 1971.

McPhillips began his legal career on Wall Street at Davis Polk & Wardwell and later as associate counsel for American Express. In 1975, he returned to Alabama to serve as Assistant Attorney General under Bill Baxley, focusing on white-collar crime. He ran for Attorney General in 1978, finishing second in a 13-person race, and then launched his law firm in Montgomery, which became McPhillips Shinbaum LLP. Over five decades, he built a reputation as a fearless advocate for the marginalized, earning the moniker "The People's Lawyer." In 2002, he ran a purposeful and courageous race as a Democrat for US Senate.

McPhillips championed civil rights, labor rights, and social justice throughout his career. He successfully challenged discriminatory laws and practices targeting low-income residents and civil rights demonstrators. His legal victories encompassed cases of race, sex, and age discrimination, and he was instrumental in preventing the establishment of hazardous waste sites in vulnerable communities. Notably, all five death penalty cases he undertook resulted in acquittals.

Julian McPhillips Jr. was instrumental in the founding and flourishing of Christ the Redeemer Episcopal Church in Montgomery, Alabama (1981-2009). A man of deep faith and unwavering conviction, Julian envisioned the church as a spiritual home rooted in inclusivity, justice, and service. His leadership and generosity were pivotal in establishing the church’s physical presence and shaping its mission. Julian’s legal acumen, community connections, and passionate advocacy helped navigate early challenges, while his steadfast belief in the transformative power of faith inspired others to join and support the congregation.

In addition to his other endeavors, McPhillips preserved a Montgomery home once occupied by F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, where Julian and his wife Leslie, founded The Fitzgerald Museum. In 1993, he organized alumni efforts to save Princeton's wrestling program. His passion for wrestling extended to local initiatives, and he invested in numerous private and public schools, including St. James School, Montgomery Catholic, Robert E. Lee, Tallassee, Carver, and Prattville High Schools. St. James School named its annual Wrestling Tournament in his honor.

Julian’s multifaceted career, travels, and historical perspective are covered in six books. “The People's Lawyer: The Colorful Life and Times of Julian L. McPhillips Jr.," by Carol Dale Short, is an autobiographical account detailing his early life and legal career up to 2005. Julian authored the other five: “Civil Rights in My Bones: More Colorful Stories from a Lawyer’s Life and Work, 2005–2015, " which continues his memoirs by focusing on significant cases and personal experiences during this period; “Only in Alabama: More Colorful True Stories from a Lawyer’s Life, 2016–2019,” further reflects on his legal work and insights into Alabama's social and political landscape; “Standing Up to Bullies,” a work addressing the challenges of confronting injustice and advocating for the marginalized; and “From Vacillation to Resolve: The French Communist Party in the Resistance, 1939–1944,” a scholarly examination of the French Communist Party's role during World War II.

He is survived by his wife, J. Leslie McPhillips; their three children, Rachel McPhillips Plucker (Julius Plucker V), Grace McPhillips Lunsford (Corbett Lunsford), and David McPhillips (Melinda McPhillips); and seven grandchildren: Eva Laurel Plucker, Julius (Jude) Plucker VI, James Sage Plucker, Nanette Lillabelle Lunsford, Emmanuelle Lenwood Lunsford, Lucian Grant Lunsford and Julia Taylor McPhillips.

He is predeceased by his beloved parents and brother, David Dixon McPhillips, and is survived by two sisters, Sandra McPhillips Pitre of Santa Fe, NM, and Elizabeth McPhillips Williams of Chesapeake, VA; a brother, Frank Dixon McPhillips (Louise) of Birmingham, AL; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to the Lewy Body Dementia Association for continued research, your favorite social justice initiative, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepard, The Fitzgerald Museum, or your local high school wrestling team. The courtroom was his pulpit, and justice was his ministry. He would love this show of support for causes he cared deeply about. A private burial will be held with a memorial service to be announced at a later date.

The family of Julian L. McPhillips Jr. invites the public to a memorial service celebrating his life and legacy on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church in downtown Montgomery, 113 Madison Ave. A time of praise and worship, featuring Julian’s favorite songs, will begin at 9:40 a.m. All are welcome to join in this joyful offering of music and remembrance. A reception will follow the service.