Richard G. Phillips Esq.

PHILLIPS Richard G., Esq. died on on May 31, 2013. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Ellen A. (nee Harrell); his children; Connie Anne Phillips, Stephanie Phillips, Tony Phillips and Richarg G. Phillips, Jr. Esq., his sister, Andrea Valentino (James) and is sister-in-law, Elizabeth Phillips. Predeceased by his parents Connie (nee Finelli) and Herman P. Phillips and his brother Dr. Herman P. Phillips. Richie Phillips, 72, of Berwyn, Pennsylvania and Cape May, New Jersey, Chairman of Pilot Freight Services, former chief of homicide and chief of organized crime in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, as well as former head of the Major League Umpires Association, PGA Tour Rules Officials and NBA Referees, died Friday, May 31 at his home in Cape May. Richie, known to friends as the Bear, showed himself at an early age to be a fighter for labor rights and respect. While in grade school at Our Lady of Angels in West Philadelphia, he organized and took his fellow altar boys out on strike to protest how the parish priest handled wedding tips. Richie attended St. Joseph's Prep. He graduated from Villanova University in 1962, where he walked on to the Varsity football team, earned a scholarship, and played on the winning Sun Bowl team of 1961. He then graduated from Villanova Law School in 1966. While attending the law school, Richie coached the Villanova Freshman team to a stunning 22-0 win over the United States Military Academy team. Throughout his high school, college, and law school years, he served as a lifeguard in North Wildwood. There he built lifetime friendships and an enduring love of the beach. In 1964 Richie married his lifelong love, Ellen Harrell, whom he described decades later as the most beautiful woman in the world. Together they have had four children, Connie Anne, Stephanie, Tony and Richard. After passing the Pennsylvania Bar Exam on his daughter Stephanie's day of birth, Richie joined the Philadelphia Public Defender's Office, where he quickly earned a reputation as a skilled litigator, winning numerous high profile acquittals against the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. He had found his first calling, and the city was beginning to take notice of this young lawyer with boundless energy, a fighter's spirit, and a quick and warm smile. In 1969 he was recruited by Arlen Specter to turn around the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. He served under Specter and Dick Sprague as chief of organized crime and chief of homicide, where he quickly increased the conviction rate in high-profile murder, rape and organized crime cases. In 1970, Richie's friend and future NBA star Howard Porter asked him to negotiate his contract with the Chicago Bulls. Complicated by prior mistakes, the negotiations were difficult and Richie's work was cut out for him. He had found his second calling. He worked with Porter and the Bulls to secure a then-astronomical 1.5 million dollar contract. Richie soon left the D.A.'s office to open a private practice based on his reputation as a tough and successful negotiator, beginning with many of Porter's Bulls teammates. In doing so, Richie changed the profession of sports representation from one primarily led by agents to one led by attorneys. In 1976, he helped organize the NBA's referees, forcing the NBA to recognize them as a collective bargaining unit and, a year later during the playoffs, led them on a successful strike. He won for them pay hikes and improved working conditions. From 1976 to 1984 he represented the National Association of Basketball Referees, and during that time the refs' pay, benefits and job security skyrocketed. But what drove Richie most of all in his representation of all sports officials was respect. He said that the most important thing he could do was help sports officials believe that they are an integral part of the games they officiate. In 1978 Richie became general counsel and executive director of the Major League Umpires Association. As with the referees, Richie was steadfast in his fight for respect for umpires. Richie led the umpires on successful work stoppages in 1978, 1979, 1984, 1991, and 1995, dramatically increasing wages and benefits, and gaining vacations, retirement plans, and job security. He also fought for and won greater respect for the umpires on the field. For all his reputation as a confrontational negotiator, he worked to avoid work stoppages, including recruiting former President Richard Nixon to arbitrate a labor dispute in 1985. Despite often-difficult negotiations, he counted baseball executives Lee MacPhail, Chubb Feeney, Faye Vincent and Bart Giamatti as close friends. In 1999, the Major League Umpires Association was decertified after a failed work action. Though known most for these two clients, Richie's legal career was diverse and always married to the things he loved. In addition to being an art collector, he represented artist LeRoy Neiman. In addition to owning numerous race horses, one of which brought him to the winner's circle at Saratoga, he represented the Horsemen's Benevolent Protective Association,. An avid sports fan, he represented teams such as the Sixers and the Golden State Warriors, NFL players such as Mike Siani, NBA players such as Tom Inglesby, Howard Porter, Joe Bryant and Clifford Ray, MLB players such as Mike Scioscia and Orel Hershiser and coaches such as Paul Westhead. In each case, Richie fought loyally and tirelessly for those he believed in, and most important he always helped his clients believe in themselves. He also started Philadelphia's first sports magazine, "Philadelphia Sports." In 1993, Richie found his third calling. Having previously served as general counsel for Pilot Air Freight, he was asked to take over the foundering company as Chairman of the Board. At Pilot, Richie's talents, dynamic warmth and personal charisma found their home. He quickly turned around this failing company, mixing his abilities as a tough negotiator with genuine love for its employees. As he made Pilot believe in itself, he made each of its employees believe in themselves, and made everyone around him feel special. In doing so he touched thousands of lives and set countless individuals toward better futures. In his tenure there, Pilot went from the brink of bankruptcy, to a 500 million dollar company, employing 2500 individuals and showing many years of record profits. Richie's love for family was as expansive as his career. Coming from a working class home in West Philadelphia, he and his wife Ellen proudly built a family that includes daughter Connie Anne, a major magazine publisher, daughter Stephanie, a television producer and now Vice Chair and CMO at Pilot and son Richard, a former Justice Department and Senate counsel, and now Vice Chair and CEO at Pilot. His most special child, Tony, born with severe disabilities, is a resident at the Melmark Home for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities. Richie was tireless in his generous support of Melmark and as a fighter for those with disabilities. Married 49 years, he still sang love songs to his wife, who stood by him through every trial. As a couple, Richie and Ellen made everyone feel welcomed and loved as family. As a father, Richie made each child feel specially loved, and capable of doing not just anything, but everything. Life with Richie was thrilling, filled with adventure, inspiration and love. He could quote Shakespeare, make you believe you were capable of infinitely more than you imagined, and burst into a love song for his wife, all while cooking a fabulous meal for his family and whoever might stop by. And people did stop by. The house Richie and Ellen lived in for 42 years is still a place of love, warmth, open invitations, great parties, late night debate, and unannounced gatherings of every size. Relatives and friends are invited to his Viewing Thurs. Evening 5-9 P.M. at the D'ANJOLELL MEMORIAL HOME OF BROOMALL, 2811 West Chester Pike Broomall, PA 19008 and to his Funeral Mass Fri. Morning 10 A.M. at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul, 18th St. and the Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, PA 19103. Interment Private. Contributions may be made to the Melmark Home for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities, where Richie's son Tony has attended for 39 years, or to the Cape May Fire Department who treated Richie with dignity and tremendous care. Melmark, 2600 Wayland Road Berwyn, PA 19312 or The Cape May Volunteer Fire Dept., Paramedic Unit, 712 Franklin St. Cape May, NJ 08204.