Hon. Philip M. Halpern

Philip M. Halpern was appointed as a District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on February 21, 2020 by President Donald J. Trump with the advice and consent of the United States Senate.

Judge Halpern began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge Irving Ben Cooper of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in 1980. He practiced commercial litigation for almost four decades, and was managing partner and head of the litigation group at Collier Halpern & Newberg, LLP in White Plains, New York. While in private practice he handled some of the most complex and challenging litigation issues representing individuals, corporations and Fortune 500 companies. His practice focused on commercial litigation, estates, employment litigation, real estate litigation, and securities litigation.

Judge Halpern has authored several publications and has also lectured for the Office of Court Administration, New York State Bar Association, New York City Bar Association and other Bar Associations on a variety of litigation topics.

• Fordham University (B.S., magna cum laude, 1977)
• Pace University (J.D., 1980)
• Beta Gamma Sigma

• Advanced Civil Procedure Seminar: Anatomy of a Trial-The Burden of Proof LAW 612AA

• Pace Law School: Alumni Leadership Award 2006
• Westchester County Business Journal: Pace Setter Award 2007
• American Diabetes Association: Father of the Year 2009
• Legal Services of the Hudson Valley: Access to Justice Honoree 2017
• Honorary Doctor of Laws, Elisabeth Haub School of Law 2021

• The Burden of Proof (American Bar Association, 2020)
• "Mixing Law and Equity Causes of Action Does Not Preclude a Jury Trial," Pace Law Review, Spring 2015 Issue
• "The Contours of Common-Law Dissolution in New York," NY Litigator, New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Litigation Section, 2008
• "Court of Appeals Sharply Diminishes the Substantive Due Process Rights of Property Owners in New York," NY Litigator, New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Litigation Section, 2006
• "Unlocking a Valuable Tool: Summary Judgment Hearings on Issues of Fact," Westchester Bar Journal, 2006
• Civil Pretrial Proceedings in New York (2 Volumes, West Publishing 2002)
• "Fair Value Proceedings: Fixing Fair Value in New York," NY Litigator, New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Litigation Section, 1996
• "Age Discrimination in Employment: Releases Protect Employers Too!" Labor Law Journal, American Bar Association, 1992