​Phillips Nizer LLP has a rich and proud history. The firm was founded in 1926 by Louis Phillips, assistant general counsel to Paramount Motion Pictures, and Louis Nizer, considered one of the most outstanding trial lawyers of the 20th century.

In the early years, our firm carved out a name for itself and amassed a certain amount of cache through high profile representations of top names in the entertainment industry. Mr. Nizer represented such celebrities as Salvador Dali, Mae West and Johnny Carson. This role continued to grow with the additions of Robert Benjamin and Arthur Krim, the managing owners of United Artists. In the late 1970s, Mr. Benjamin and Mr. Krim went on to found Orion Pictures.

Our bond with the apparel industry started when Charles Ballon joined the firm in 1946. At this point our Firm was named Phillips Nizer Benjamin Krim and Ballon LLP, the name we maintained until 2001. Ballon soon became a revered figure to many in the industry and developed a broad clientele, including two of the primary trade associations of the time, the Popular Priced Dress Manufacturers Association and the Affiliated Dress Manufacturers Association. The cultivation of these relationships has stood the test of time, and the ability of our Labor Department to maintain harmony without undercutting profitability has been critical to the success of many of the firm's clients.

Beginning in the 1960s, we helped many fashion designers realize that they could develop their names into brands, and designer trademarks became a global force.

From our early focus in the areas of entertainment, fashion, litigation and trademark law, today we are a thriving, full-service law firm with attorneys practicing in a diverse number of core areas including: corporate law; litigation; antitrust and trade regulation; banking; bankruptcy and restructuring; ERISA and employee benefits; entertainment law; environmental law; fashion law; government relations; healthcare law; intellectual property, franchise and licensing; immigration law; insurance law; international law; labor and employment; matrimonial law; not-for-profit representation; private clients representation; real estate; tax; technology and new media; and trust and estates.