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Daniel P. Phillips joined the firm in 2019 and became a Partner in 2023.

Mr. Phillips practices as trial counsel in the Firm’s Litigation Department handling complex residential and commercial plenary actions, eviction proceedings, and landlord-tenant disputes in the New York City Civil Courts and New York State Supreme Courts.

Recently, Mr. Phillips has been successful in recovering possession and unpaid rents from residential and commercial tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic by obtaining favorable settlements and Court decisions.

Specifically, Mr. Phillips successfully obtained summary judgment in both a plenary action and holdover proceeding against an Applebee’s franchisee and was awarded a monetary judgment of $1.2 million, along with a possessory judgment and warrant permitting the landlord to evict. Notably, the franchisee sought to raise the defenses of, among other things, frustration of purpose and impossibility of performance based upon its allegation that the restaurant was unable to conduct its business and/or suffered financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were dismissed in their entirety.

Mr. Phillips is also knowledgeable with the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and advises clients on the practical and legal implications involved with ERAP.

Mr. Phillips is a Co-Founder of the New York Law School Trial Competition Team and has lectured at the Kings County Housing Bar Association on the current changes in the law regarding rent overcharge and the deregulation of rent regulated apartments. He has also been published in the New York Law Journal for victories in cases involving commercial lease defaults, rent overcharge, deregulation of rent regulated apartments, and succession rights.

In 2022, Mr. Phillips was recognized as a Real Estate “Rising Star” by NY Metro Super Lawyers.