Los Angeles County Bar Association Honors Cox, Castle & Nicholson's Founding Partner Phillip Nicholson With Lifetime Achievement Award
Los Angeles – (June 7, 2016) – The Real Property Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) has chosen to present the Ira Yellin Lifetime Achievement Award in memory of Cox, Castle & Nicholson’s founding partner, Phillip Nicholson. Rarely given, the award is presented posthumously to an individual who is recognized for tremendous dedication to the real estate industry and the community. Nicholson’s skill, integrity, and unsurpassed dedication served as the foundation upon which Cox, Castle & Nicholson has grown into one of the largest real estate specialty firms in the United States. Nicholson, George Cox and Richard Castle cofounded the firm in 1968.
“Phil’s career was iconic, not just because of his expertise and the clients he served. He was an icon of the bar, and he served and inspired so many industry and community groups,” said Mario Camara, partner at Cox, Castle & Nicholson. “Phil was a visionary in so many ways, and his legacy shines through today. For Phil, the greatest satisfaction was seeing the achievements of his clients and colleagues. He knew that success was most often achieved with many talented contributors and was constantly nurturing others’ success.”
Nicholson’s achievements and values embodied the spirit behind this award. His commitment to the enhancement and growth of both real estate and legal communities set the tone for generations of professionals to come. Nicholson was skilled in representing developers and investors in real estate companies and projects throughout the country. He served as strategic counsel in entity structures and formation, project development, land use, equity and debt financing, disputes, and strategic planning.
Nicholson was active with the California Continuing Education of the Bar and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. He was also a respected mentor both at the firm and in the community as a result of his expertise and equally high level of respect he gave to each individual with whom he worked.
Nicholson received his law degree from the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law, and remained involved with the school’s Lusk Center for Real Estate throughout his career. Nationally recognized for his work in complex real estate transactions and litigation, Nicholson was recognized by Legal 500's Real Estate List in 2015 and Chambers USA's roundup of California's top attorneys in real estate for the last twenty years.
The Ira Yellin Lifetime Achievement Award began with LACBA’s recognition of Ira Yellin, a civic leader and longtime real estate pioneer in downtown Los Angeles. The award honors an individual with a vision for real estate development in Los Angeles County that is ahead of that individual’s time, transcends the norm, and leaves an indelible imprint on the real estate landscape of Los Angeles County. In addition, LACBA recently recognized Cox, Castle & Nicholson associate Dennis Wu with the Real Estate Property Section’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award.
