Bert Fields, legendary lawyer to A-list clients, dies at 93
Bert Fields represented Tom Cruise, Michael Jackson, and Bob and Harvey Weinstein during his career
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Entertainment lawyer Bert Fields, known for his work with A-list celebrity clients, passed away Sunday at the age of 93 in his California home.
Fields' law firm, Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger, announced the attorney's death on August 8 via a statement.
"Most of his entire career was spent at Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger, a firm that he helped to turn into a Hollywood behemoth. Along with the industry-shaping deals that he helped negotiate, this American legal legend tried numerous landmark cases in the entertainment, sports, and communications industries, and he has been the subject of several personal profiles in magazines and newspapers," the statement read.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fields is said to have been suffering from "long-term neurological effects of COVID-19" prior to his passing, firm spokesman Seth Horowitz told the Associated Press.
Fields' most notable clients included Tom Cruise, Michael Jackson, and the Beatles, as well as Harvey and Bob Weinstein. The longtime attorney was known for his keen wit as well as his oral advocacy in the courtroom.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He was a brilliant renaissance man… and, yet, he still had time to be an incredible, kind friend. He was my daughter’s godfather and the officiant at her wedding. He was fiercely loyal to his core. He was a true gentleman and I have never known, nor will I know, anyone like him. … I will miss him more than words can express," said actor Dustin Hoffman in the press release.
Bert Fields, an attorney for Shelly Sterling, the wife of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, talks to reporters as he arrives at a Los Angeles courthouse for a trial over the $2 billion Los Angeles Clippers sale on Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Outside the courtroom, Fields was a published author of several books on William Shakespeare and King Richard III, where he demonstrated his deep love for history.
"Bert Fields was a heavyweight. He accomplished it all with dignity and gusto and his indomitable zest for life and adventure. I had the honor and privilege of knowing this remarkable man and, for that, I will be forever grateful," said producer Jerry Bruckheimer said in the statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}'MAGNUM, P.I.' ACTOR ROGER E. MOSLEY DEAD AT 83
Fields took on several high-profile cases during his career, including a multimillion-dollar judgment for George Harrison against his former manager, as well as George Lucas' negotiations with Disney. Fields also partook in representing Bob and Harvey Weinstein as they attempted to separate their company, Miramax, from Disney.
Fields was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 31, 1929, to a retired ballet dancer and an eye surgeon. He went on to graduate from the University of California-Los Angeles and then studied law at Harvard Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude and has endowed a law professorship.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lawyer Bert Fields kisses his wife, art consultant Barbara Guggenheim, at The Broad museum's opening and inaugural dinner on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Fields began practicing law after serving as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He then proceeded to teach at Stanford Law as well as serve as a lecturer annually at Harvard.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fields is survived by his wife, Barbara Guggenheim, as well as his son, James Elder Fields, and his grandchildren, Michael Lane Fields and Annabelle Fields.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.