William K. Phillips

William K. Phillips is the Managing Partner at Phillips & Associates, one of the leading employment law firms in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

He and his firm have handled thousands of cases involving:

• Sexual harassment
• Pregnancy discrimination
• Race discrimination
• Disability discrimination
• Other workplace rights violations

Mr. Phillips has secured millions of dollars in damages and settlements for employees, earning a reputation as a dedicated and results-driven advocate.

In addition to leading his own firm, Mr. Phillips is frequently sought out by other law firms in an “Of Counsel” role, providing litigation supervision in complex employment law cases.

Awards & Recognition

Top 100 Labor & Employment Lawyer in New York, 2017-2020
by the American Society of Legal Advocates

10 Best Labor & Employment Attorneys in New York, 2017-2021
by the American Institute of Legal Counsel

Lawyer of the Year
by the American Institute of Legal Professionals

Education

Mr. Phillips has strong roots in New York. He was born in Brooklyn and attended the College of Staten Island, graduating magna cum laude with a B.A. in sociology and anthropology.

He studied entertainment law and landlord-tenant law at New York Law School and graduated from St. Thomas School of Law in Miami in 1993.

Mr. Phillips was admitted to the New York Bar in 1996. He is admitted to practice in the federal courts for the Eastern District of New York, the Southern District of New York, the Western District of New York, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Diverse Professional Background

Before focusing on employment law, Mr. Phillips gained experience in business and other areas, giving him a valuable frame of reference from which to analyze the industries in which his clients and their employers work.

From 2006-2010, he served as the Principal of Real Estate Development at TPG Design. There he was responsible for the creation, management, and development of real estate projects. In recent years, he has purchased and sold over $17 million of property for his own account.

Before his work in real estate development, Mr. Phillips served as Vice President of the Fieldstone Private Capital Group, a boutique investment bank in New York. There, he was responsible for originating and executing all investment banking mandates, managing a portfolio of aircraft assets, negotiating with airlines regarding early terminations and defaults, and working with assets subject to bankruptcies, litigation, and repossession.

His professional accomplishments while in this position include the $10 million sale of a Turkish charter airline; a $24 million sell-side advisory for the sale of a British entity’s U.S. Airport Services division; global placement of over 30 Boeing and Airbus aircraft for sale and/or lease; and the restructuring of 26 MD-80 aircraft resulting in a 60% rent reduction and $16 million in debt forgiveness, with the structuring of $10 million in debt, for a U.S. airline.

Prior to this experience, Mr. Phillips served as the business development director for a bar exam review company in New York and as a professional model in Europe and the U.S.

Professional Memberships

Mr. Phillips is actively involved in the legal community as a member of:

• American Bar Association
• National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA)
• American Society of Legal Advocates
• New York State Trial Lawyers Association
• New York County Lawyers Association
• Brooklyn Bar Association
• New York Chapter of NELA

Beyond the Law

Outside the courtroom, Mr. Phillips is a strong supporter of the arts and education. He is also a published fashion and portrait photographer and an avid athlete who enjoys weight training, swimming, tennis, basketball, boxing, and racquetball.