Phila was admitted as an attorney in 2007 and practiced in both commercial and litigation matters until joining Garlicke & Bousfield as an Associate in 2010. He was appointed as a Director in the Litigation Department in 2014.

Phila’s areas of expertise include company law, corporate structuring, commercial litigation and administrative law, both in relation to local, provincial and national government. He has represented several State-Owned Enterprises and a number of municipalities on various matters including, but not limited to tender disputes and disputes between local and provincial governments.

In 2013 Phila was appointed by the KwaZulu Natal provincial Treasury as one of the first members of the KwaZulu Natal Municipal Bids Appeals Tribunal.