Manatt senior partner L. Lee Phillips was presented the "Entertainment Lawyer of the Year" award by the Entertainment Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, on April 16, 2014. A gala was held in Phillip's honor at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where celebrity clients and industry executives came together to celebrate.
One of the industry's most prestigious recognitions, the Entertainment Lawyer of the Year award honors leaders of the entertainment law field for their contributions to the profession. It has been presented annually since 1989 by the BHBA.
On April 15, Variety featured Phillips in a special piece commemorating his legal achievements. The article describes how Phillips became one of the industry's leading music lawyers. Variety reports that Phillips, who reps the top recording artists of the past few decades, has gained a reputation for being able to navigate among many different personalities and to sort through thorny contract and rights issues.
Phillips' client roster includes Barbra Streisand, Steve Perry, Brian Wilson, Paul Anka, Burt Bachrach, Kenny Loggins, Randy Jackson and Tracy Chapman. Some of his first clients were Green Stone Prods., managers who represented Sonny & Cher, and Bill Cosby. At one point in the early '90s, Phillips represented Prince, Axl Rose and Michael Jackson at the same time.
"They probably saw an intelligent attorney who basically was not going to be the star, but who would be there for them," Phillips said of his ability to build an impressive roster.
Read the article here.