Episode 150 - Next Lawyer Up with Ron Sykstus featuring Philip "Flip" May

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This 150th episode of the Next Lawyer Up podcast is quite personal to me. 

As I readily tell people, I was an 18-year-old first generation (and somewhat aimless!) college student who ventured from Chicago to the University of Arizona. There, very quickly, I fell in with Sigma Chi fraternity and pledged immediately.  

Philip "Flip" May was our pledge class trainer, called Magister in the Sigma Chi world. He was off-the-charts impressive, having already been a student body senator and then student body president. On top of that, he was selected to the senior honorary, Bobcats, limited to the top13 most outstanding seniors at the university. 

He is, as he should be, a member of the Sigma Chi – Beta Phi Chapter Hall of Honor and you can read about his information here. I learned a great deal from Flip and the rest of the Sigma Chi upperclassmen who were his friends, and they really ended up having a major impact on my own life and career. 

It is no surprise that Flip went on to co-found the highly respected law firm of May, Potenza, Baran & Gillespie, P.C., where he currently serves as the managing partner. 

I have not talked to Flip since probably 1982 or so and it was great to catch up with him on this 150th episode.   


Written by Ron Sykstus

Ron Sykstus

Ron Sykstus is a Managing Partner of several of the Bond & Botes Law Offices throughout Alabama. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona, Tucson, and a Juris Doctorate from the Northern Illinois University College of Law. Ron has served in numerous positions throughout the U.S. Army and now utilizes his expertise in the areas of VA issues, security clearances, military law, and bankruptcy to assist his clients when they need it most. Read his full bio here.

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