A phase leg for a multilevel inverter includes a positive DC lead, a first outer MOSFET connected to the positive DC lead, a first inner IGBT connected to the first outer MOSFET, a second inner IGBT connected to the first inner IGBT, and a second outer IGBT connected to the second inner IGBT. The first and second outer MOSFETs are superjunction MOSFETs voltage balanced by the first and second IGBTs for reducing voltage stress in the solid-state switch phase leg when the superjunction MOSFET and the IGBT are conducting current from the DC lead to the AC lead.