New York, NY, August 19, 2024 -- Phillips Nizer LLP is pleased to announce that 8 lawyers have been included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^®. Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.

Phillips Nizer LLP is pleased to announce that 12 lawyers have been selected to the 2023 New York Super Lawyers list. No more than five percent of the lawyers in New York are selected by Super Lawyers.

Best Lawyers® recognized Alan Behr, Jan L. Bernstein, Regina E. Faul, Helene M. Freeman, Michael W. Galligan, Donald P. Perry, Evan J. Spelfogel, Martin B. Wasser and Elliot J. Wiener.  

Chambers USA has recognized Michael W. Galligan as a leader in New York: High Net Worth 2023: Private Wealth Law: Mid-Market, Band 1.

Best Lawyers® recognized Alan Behr, Jan L. Bernstein, Regina E. Faul, Helene M. Freeman, Michael W. Galligan, Marc A. Landis, Donald P. Perry, Jeffrey Q. Smith, Evan J. Spelfogel, Martin B. Wasser and Elliot J. Wiener. 

Best Lawyers® recognized Alan Behr, Jan L. Bernstein, Helene M. Freeman (Copyright Lawyer of the Year), Michael W. Galligan, Marc A. Landis, Donald P. Perry, Jeffrey Q. Smith, Evan J. Spelfogel, Martin B. Wasser and Elliot J. Wiener. 

Chambers and Partners has again recognized Michael W. Galligan as a leader in New York: High Net Worth/Private Wealth Law. 

The “For the 99.5% Act” (introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders) and the Sensible Taxation and Promotion (STEP) Act (introduced by Sen. Chris Van Hollen) collectively propose broad Equity changes to federal estate, gift and income tax laws that, if enacted, would significantly impact common estate planning strategies and transfer taxation. 

U.S. News - BestLawyers® recognized Phillips Nizer LLP as one of the nation's "Best Law Firms" for 2021. The annual rankings are presented in three tiers. A total of eleven areas of the firm's practice were recognized nationally and in the New York City metropolitan area.  The rankings were announced on November 5, 2020.

We are proud to congratulate our selected attorneys.

Best Lawyers® recognized Alan Behr, Jan L. Bernstein, Helene M. Freeman, Michael W. Galligan, Marc A. Landis, Donald P. Perry, Jeffrey Q. Smith, Evan J. Spelfogel, Martin B. Wasser and Elliot J. Wiener. 

Chambers and Partners Recognized Michael W. Galligan as a leader in New York: High Net Worth/Private Wealth Law

In these critical weeks, you may have questions or wish to change or develop your estate plan and documents.  We are working remotely and remain available to serve you, whether you are an existing client or wish to become a new client.  This event has caused uncertainty over many procedural issues and brings new changes every day, but we actively monitor these changes and adapt as needed.

 

Full Details and Registration: here

OVERVIEW
Why You Should Attend:

This foundational program will focus on the legal and tax framework you need to advise those individuals whose personal, financial and business connections span national borders. In addition to the usual estate and tax planning issues, international private clients face special challenges arising from the global progression toward increased transparency, heightened reporting requirements and more stringent tax enforcement. By attending you will learn about essential legal and tax rules, available planning opportunities, and potential pitfalls for both clients and advisers.
 

The purpose of this article is to describe and explain the likely approach that a New York court will take with respect to recognizing the status of fiduciaries appointed under the laws of non-US jurisdictions and the extent to which a New York court will accept and enforce judgments concerning the inheritance of property in accordance with the laws of non-US jurisdictions. We first consider how New York’s approach to these issues must be viewed in the context of New York’s position as a state of the USA. We next consider the ways in which a New York court may assert jurisdiction over the inheritance of property of a decedent who was not domiciled in New York at the time of their death. We then consider the way in which the New York personal property of a foreign decedent may be distributed without court intervention and finally proceed to consider the rules for the administration of the New York property of a foreign decedent where court intervention is necessary and how such property may be distributed, especially when it passes to foreign beneficiaries.

Michael's panel, "Harmonizing Wealth Transfer Across the Canada-United States Border: The Challenges of Canada-United States Estate Planning," will convene on Friday, October 26th from 2:45 - 4:00 p.m. The 3-day Seasonal Meeting will be held in Montreal, Canada. 

Seventeen Phillips Nizer attorneys were announced on September 13, 2018 as selected for inclusion on the 2018 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Attorneys represented a cross-section of several practice areas and industry teams.

Best Lawyers® recognized Alan Behr, Helene M. Freeman, Michael W. Galligan, Donald P. Perry, Evan J. Spelfogel,  Martin B. Wasser and Elliot J. Wiener.

Michael Galligan, partner in the Trusts & Estates and International Practices joins fellow international practitioners for the panel discussion, "Choice of Law, Conflict of Laws and Recognition of Foreign Judgements" at the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law Professional Program in Lisbon, Portugal on Tuesday, May 22, 2018.

This is a revised version of an article that originally appeared in the New York International Law Practicum (Spring 2014).

U.S. News-Best Lawyers® announced on November 1, 2017, Phillips Nizer's recognition as one of the nation's "Best Law Firms" for 2018. The listing is presented in ranking tiers from 1 - 3. We ranked highly, Tier 1, nationally in Copyright Law, Trademark Law and Trusts & Estates Law. We were also ranked in the New York City Metropolitan listings.

It was announced on September 20, 2017, that sixteen Phillips Nizer attorneys were selected for inclusion on the 2017 Super Lawyers list. Alternative Dispute Resolution, Banking, Business Litigation, Entertainment, Intellectual Property, and Trusts & Estates practices were represented.  

Most of the material appeared originally in an article in the October 2009 edition of Estate Planning magazine, a publication of Thomson Reuters.  The article has been updated from time to time since its original publication but the article does not purport to give legal advice about the laws and taxes of any of the jurisdictions discussed in the article.  Details about such laws should be reviewed with legal counsel competent to give advice about the laws of relevant jurisdictions before taking action in any way reliant on the information contained herein.

The conference will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel on June 20 - 21, 2017. 

Michael's remarks will address "The European Union (EU) Succession Directive from a U.S. Perspective" on Monday, June 19 (9:45 - 11:15 a.m.). 

The EU Succession Regulation represents perhaps the most ambitious and comprehensive effort to date to regularize the rules about choice of law that apply to the succession of decedents' estates in any part of the world. The Article highlights the significance of the Regulation not only in planning for U.S. persons who live in the European Union, but also in planning for U.S. persons who live outside the European Union but who own property there. The Article also discusses the reception that a choice of law made under the Regulation may be expected to receive in New York State–one of the most prominent jurisdictions of the United States where issues of cross-border succession planning constantly arise and for which the Regulation may be especially relevant.

The question: "Should I Buy or Rent When Moving to Shanghai for Just Two Years?" 

The event takes place in Mumbai. | More here. and watch the video here.

U.S. News-Best Lawyers® announced Phillips Nizer was recognized as one of the "Best Law Firms" in the nation for 2017 ranking highly nationally in Trusts & Estates Law. The firm was also ranked in the New York City Metropolitan area in Trusts & Estates Law, Copyright Law, Family Law, Intellectual Property Litigation and Trademark Law. 

On September 21, 2016 it was announced by Super Lawyers® that twenty-three Phillips Nizer attorney were selected for inclusion on the 2016 Super Lawyers and 'Rising Stars' lists.  This is the second consecutive year the firm has had twenty-three lawyers recognized.

Also on Friday, Michael will be a panel presenter on "CRS (Common Reporting Standards) and Automatic Exchange of Information: Issues for the Wealth Management Industry". 

The conference hosted on June 15th and 16th welcomes trusts, estates, taxation and other practitioners from around the world. Michael and his panel will address the topic of international inheritance. Michael, who is a member of our Trusts & Estates, Tax and International Practices is a member of The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

The release of this edition was made in association with the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners (STEP), of which Michael is a member. Michael contributes an article addressing the Hague Convention on Trusts and the Uniform Trust Code.  Orders for the full edition via the publisher’s website are being accepted. For more information, please visit their website here.

Reprinted with permission from New York Dispute Resolution Lawyer, Spring 2016, Vol. 9, No. 1, published by the New York State Bar Association, One Elk Street, Albany, New York 12207.

This article was originally presented as a paper at the 2012 annual meeting of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law in Istanbul, Turkey, and was earlier published in A. Kaplan & B. Hauser, ed., Trusts in Prime Jurisdictions (Fourth Edition, 2016)

In January, the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN)’s announced new rules for purchasers of luxury residential real estate in excess of $3 million in New York County (Manhattan) and in excess of $1 million in Miami-Dade County. FinCEN's new mandatory disclosure requirements of certain title insurance companies representing these purchasers go into effect on March 1, 2016.

Ref: Legal Alert

The program centered on the options for advisors and their affluent clients before and after they experience a liquidity event.  Michael addressed common mistakes affluent individuals make prior to their liquidity event, and provided considerations before and after the event. 

In an announcement on November 2nd by U.S. News-Best Lawyers®, Phillips Nizer was recognized as one of the 2016 "Best Law Firms" in the nation ranking highly nationally in Trusts & Estates Law, Copyright Law and Trademark Law. The firm was also ranked in the New York City Metropolitan area in Trusts & Estates Law, Copyright Law, Family Law, Intellectual Property Litigation and Trademark Law. 

As a member of Phillips Nizer's Trusts & Estates, Tax, Immigration and International practices, Michael will outline ten specialties within international estate planning, discussing two important principles of each, during his presentation. Michael is a past chairman of the International Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA). He currently serves as a member-at-large of the Executive Committee of the NYSBA. Michael is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).  Click for the agenda.

Phillips Nizer was honored to announce that twenty-three of its attorneys were recognized as 2015 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars. Attorneys who were recognized represented over a dozen practice areas. The annual Super Lawyers® lists are a result of confidential peer review and independent research.

In an announcement on September 23, 2014, twenty-six Phillips Nizer attorneys were recognized on the Metro New York 2014 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists. Twenty-two partners, senior counsel and counsel were selected as Super Lawyers.  Four counsel and associates were selected as Rising Stars.  The 2014 selections crossed all major practice groups.  The annual Super Lawyers® lists are a result of confidential peer review and independent research.

Nineteen Phillips Nizer attorneys were selected by Super Lawyers® and recognized in the 2013 New York Super Lawyers - Metro Edition publication.  As was the case in 2012, attorneys selected represented several practice areas. The Firm achieved a significant increase in the number of honorees, including one recognized as a "Rising Star".  Each year, attorneys are nominated across various legal practices and vetted through a process of confidential peer review. Independent research by the publisher is an important component before one can be selected as a "Super Lawyer".

For the second consecutive year, Phillips Nizer was honored as one of the nation's "Best Law Firms".  The Firm received high ranks the areas of Trusts & Estates Law, Trademark Law, Copyright Law and Family Law.

Reprinted with permission from: International Law Practicum, Autumn 2013, Vol. 26, No. 2, published by the New York State Bar Association, One Elk Street, ​Albany, NY 12207

Phillips Nizer was honored with the selection of twelve of its attorneys for the 2012 New York Super Lawyers – Metro edition. The attorneys were recognized across seven practice areas — Alternative Dispute Resolution, Entertainment Law, Environmental Law, Estate Planning & Probate Law, Family Law, General Litigation, and Real Estate Law.

A Q&A with Italian daily newspaper, Corriere della Sera (An English Translation)

Thirteen Phillips Nizer attorneys represented across seven distinct areas were recognized as 2011 "Super Lawyers". Super Lawyers®, a publication of Thomson Reuters, reviews nominations of attorneys across various legal practice areas.  Those ultimately selected as "Super Lawyers" were vetted through a process involving peer review and independent research by the publisher.

This article advocates the creation of integrated international estate plans for U.S.citizens, particularly through the use of U.S.LLCs to hold the non-U.S. property of U.S.citizens.

by Michael W. Galligan , Jeffrey B. Kolodny and Rachel E. Small

by Michael W. Galligan and Hao Wang, Ray Yin & Partners (Beijing, PRC China)

With the accelerating globalization of economic relations and the compression of travel and communications distances between countries, increasing numbers of U.S. citizens and residents find themselves holding property in many jurisdictions outside the United States and many foreign persons find themselves holding property in the United States.

In 1996, with a series of amendments to the Internal Revenue Code regarding the tax treatment of U.S. grantors and U.S. beneficiaries of foreign trusts.