Phillips Nizer Attorneys Recognized in the 2017 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America©
08/15/2016Partners Alan Behr, Helene M. Freeman, Donald P. Perry, Michael W. Galligan and Elliot J. Wiener recognized as Best Lawyers®
New York, NY — Phillips Nizer is pleased to announce that partners Alan Behr, Helene M. Freeman, Donald P. Perry, Michael W. Galligan and Elliot J. Wiener have been selected for the 23rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Our attorneys were recognized in the annually-published listing based in part on a confidential peer review process.
Alan Behr is a member of the Corporate & Business Law Department and chairs the Fashion Law Practice. Alan was recognized in the areas of Copyright Law, Intellectual Property Litigation and Trademark Law. He concentrates his practice on international intellectual property, fashion and entertainment law, representing established and up-and-coming businesses in the fields of electronic entertainment, publishing, fashion design and retail sales, emerging technologies, and consumer products. Alan has an active Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practice serving as both an advocate in mediations and arbitrations and as a mediator for intellectual property disputes. He is a member of the International Trademark Association Panel of Trademark Mediators, which is the only panel of trained mediators in the world who focus on trademark and unfair competition law. He is also a member of the Panel of Distinguished Neutrals for the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR) acting as both an arbitrator and mediator for the Trademark and Entertainment Law Panels and the New York City ADR Panel, CPR's general commercial panel.
Helene Freeman was recognized in the area of Copyright Law. She focuses her practice on all facets of entertainment, publishing, the arts and fashion. She has counseled multinational record distributors, leading musical performers, film and television producers and distributors, international music publishing companies, theatrical producers, authors and advertising agencies. One of Helene’s most recent cases involved her representation of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin in their successful defense against the charge that the song “Stairway to Heaven” infringed the copyright of the musical composition “Taurus”. The closely watched and widely reported seven-day jury trial in the Central District of California resulted in a jury verdict absolving the band members of the plagiarism charge on June 23, 2016. This case is but the most recent of a series of high profile and precedent-setting copyright and trademark cases in which Helene has served as trial and appellate counsel during her over 30-year career.
Recognized in the area of Trusts and Estates Law were Donald Perry and Michael Galligan.
Donald chairs the Trusts & Estates Department. His practices encompasses the heavy emphasis on lifetime giving and estate planning, the drafting of both simple and complex wills and trusts and various types of estate planning agreements, the representation of individual and corporate executors and trustees in the administration of estates and trusts, including informal and judicial accountings, will contests and construction proceedings. He is involved in the preparation of estate and gift tax returns and has handled numerous Federal estate tax audits both at the agent and appellate level. He also advises clients with respect to the planning for charitable gifts, both outright and in trust. Donald has been a member of the Estate Planning Council for the City of New York for many years.
Michael is a member-at-large of the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association and a Past-Chair of the organization’s International Section. He practices primarily in the areas of domestic and international estates and trusts, U.S. and cross-border estate and income tax planning, private international law and immigration. He focuses on complex estate planning and the administration of U.S. and non-U.S. trusts, estates and other wealth transfer and wealth preservation vehicles. Michael is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, an Academician of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. His article, “Why Choose New York Law?” published by the New York State Bar Association appears in the Spring 2016 issue of New York Dispute Resolution Lawyer.
Elliot Wiener chairs the Matrimonial & Family Law Practice. Recognized in the area of Family Law, he represents clients in matters of divorce, custody, visitation, support, pre- and post-nuptials, and related matters. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, and a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a faculty member of the New York College of Matrimonial Trial Lawyers. He served as Co-Chair of the Matrimonial Law Section of the New York County Lawyers’ Association for three years, is a past Co-Chair of the Interdisciplinary Forum on Mental Health and Family Law, and was a member of the Legislation Subcommittee of the Matrimonial Committee of New York City Bar Association. His most recent article, “Court Intervention in Child Alienation Cases” was published on July 25, 2016 in the New York Law Journal.
About The Best Lawyers in America©:
Published by Woodward/White, The Best Lawyers in America© is an annual listing based on reviews of thousands of attorneys across a wide variety of practice areas and geographic regions. Those selected by the publisher as one of the nation’s Best Lawyers® must be in good standing with the ethics committee of their state bar association.
About Phillips Nizer LLP:
Phillips Nizer, founded in 1926, represents domestic and international clients in business, finance and real estate transactions, intellectual property matters, commercial litigation and tax and estate planning, with a particular focus on the entertainment, fashion, real estate and technology industries.
Established by world-renowned trial attorney Louis Nizer, Phillips Nizer’s principal office is in Manhattan, with additional offices in Garden City and East Hampton, Long Island, and Hackensack, New Jersey. To learn more about Phillips Nizer LLP, visit: www.phillipsnizer.com.
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