Sarah Fiona Phillips

Sarah Fiona Phillips joined Borah, Goldstein Altschuler, Nahins & Goidel, P.C in 2017. Ms. Phillips spent twenty years working for the City of New York. Ms. Phillips prosecuted Building Code violations for the Department of Buildings from 2004-2015. Ms. Phillips has extensive experience defending property owners against DOB, FDNY and other city issued violations. 

Ms. Phillips regularly represents property owners at OATH (formerly ECB) on transient use, illegal occupancies, public assembly, work without a permit, construction site, fire safety and other violations. She also appears on criminal court summonses and before the Department of Buildings to lift stop work and vacate orders.  Ms. Phillips represents clients in DHCR matters including substantial rehabilitation applications, lease renewal, and decrease in service complaints.

Significant cases involving transient use and fines for illegal occupancies include:

• DOB v 25 Avenue C Realty, LLC, DOB OATH decision that found the City failed to prove transient use, dismissing almost $10,000 in fines.
• DOB v SJS Properties, OATH decision where the fines for illegal occupancies were reduced by $34,000. Ms. Phillips was successful in arguing transient use summonses dismissed based on JNPJ Tenth Ave LLC v Dept of Buildings of New York 178 A.D. 3d 636 (1^st Dept 2019).
• DOB v JD Broadway Realty, LLC, OATH Appeals Unit reverses the judge's decision and dismissed the work without a permit summons in favor of our client.

Ms. Phillips received her J.D. from SUNY Buffalo School of Law and is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University and Groton School. She is admitted in New York and California.