 She lost her bid for reelection to the bench to a white candidate who made an issue of her involvement in protests and civil rights activities.She subsequently served as a lecturer at UW–Milwaukee and a visiting professor at Carroll College and UW–Madison Law School.In 1978, Phillips made history as the first woman and first non-white elected Secretary of State in Wisconsin (although Glenn M. Wise had been "appointed" Secretary of State of Wisconsin 23 years earlier).