The title compound, [Cu(2)(C(2)Cl(3)O(2))(2)Cl(2)(C(12)H(8)N(2))(2)], features a centrosymmetric binuclear complex. The coordination geometry around the Cu(II) atom is square-pyramidal, comprising two N atoms from a symmetrically chelating 1,10-phenanthroline ligand, one O atom from a trichloro-acetate ligand and two Cl(-) anions. In addition, there is a weak intra-molecular Cu⋯O inter-action of 2.9403 (14) Å involving the carbonyl O atom of the trichloro-acetate ligand. The central Cu(2)Cl(2) core takes the form of a rhombus, owing to the disparate Cu-Cl bond lengths. Mol-ecules are connected in the crystal structure by C-H⋯Cl and C-H⋯O inter-actions.