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Louis Nizer
Louis Nizer (February 6, 1902 - November 10, 1994) was a noted Jewish-American trial lawyer and senior law firm partner, author, artist, lecturer, and advisor to some of the most p...view moreLouis Nizer (February 6, 1902 - November 10, 1994) was a noted Jewish-American trial lawyer and senior law firm partner, author, artist, lecturer, and advisor to some of the most powerful people in the worlds of politics, business and entertainment.
Born in London, and brought to the United States as a child, he graduated from Columbia College and Columbia Law School in 1924. He twice won the Curtis Oratorical Prize at Columbia Law School whilst still an undergraduate.
As a fledgling lawyer in 1925, he talked his way into the newspapers when he championed the interests of a group of Brooklyn merchants. It was in 1926 that he and Mr. Phillips set up a law partnership, which grew into the prestigious firm of Phillips, Nizer, Benjamin, Krim & Ballon.
He represented many celebrities in a variety of cases, including Johnny Carson, Charlie Chaplin, Salvador Dali, Eddie Fisher, Alan Jay Lerner, Mae West, the basketball star Julius Erving and Spyros Skouros, once board chairman of 20th Century Fox films.
His two most famous cases involved representing Quentin Reynolds in his successful libel suit against columnist Westbrook Pegler, and the broadcaster John Henry Faulk against AWARE, a right-wing organization that had falsely labeled him a communist.
Nizer wrote several books, among them the best-selling “My Life In Court” in 1961, about many of his famous cases, which spent many weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. He also wrote “The Implosion Conspiracy” in 1972, a study of the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg espionage case.
He also helped create the motion picture ratings system of the Motion Picture Association of America, which he served as general counsel.
He died at the age 92 in New York City in 1994, having continued to work at his law firm until 10 days before his death.view less