Phillip J. Zisook

Phil Zisook, a Chicago defamation attorney for more than thirty years, concentrates his practice in defamation, libel, slander, privacy, and First Amendment, and commercial litigation cases. Phil is recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer in media and advertising law (which includes defamation, libel, slander, and privacy cases), and as an Illinois Leading Lawyer in media and advertising law and commercial litigation. Less than 5% of licensed attorneys in the State are selected as Super Lawyers and Leading Lawyers. Phil was also recognized by Leading Lawyers as one of the Top Ten Media Lawyers in Illinois.

Phil represents clients in defamation, libel, slander, privacy, and First Amendment cases in Chicago and across the country, in trials, appeals, and mediations. His clients include physicians, attorneys and law firms, professional athletes, labor union officers and local unions, business leaders and their companies, not-for-profit corporations, authors, and media entities. Phil also advises clients regarding defamatory social media posts and disparaging statements on the internet and has successfully litigated these cases, including discovering the identities of anonymous posters.

As a commercial litigator, Phil represents clients in cases involving employment law, contracts, negligent supervision claims, injunctions, covenants not to compete, fraud, and business torts. He represents clients in state and federal, trial and appellate courts, in arbitrations and mediations.

Phil has also represented television networks and content providers in copyright and trademark infringement cases involving the piracy of television content on the internet, and has secured temporary, preliminary, and permanent injunctions in these cases. For more information, see our Defamation, Privacy and First Amendment practice page.

• J.D., IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law (with Honors)
• B.A., (Political Science) University of Illinois

• Chicago Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Illinois Bar Association

• State of Illinois
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
• U.S. Supreme Court
• Admitted pro hac vice to handle cases in other state and federal courts throughout the country.