WASHINGTON, DC (June 23, 2014) – Lisa Ellman has joined McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP’s Washington DC office as Counsel. As a member of McKenna’s Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs practice, Ms. Ellman will focus on legislative and policy issues in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Her practice will emphasize emerging high-level trends, including commercial and private unmanned aircraft systems. She will assist clients in interacting with government at the highest federal and state levels on political and election law issues.

Ms. Ellman comes to McKenna after several years of service in the Obama Administration. Most recently, as an appointee in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy, Ms. Ellman developed and implemented high-priority policy initiatives leading the Justice Department’s Working Group on Domestic Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, and represented the Department in the interagency process. Previously, she led the Department’s work on campaign finance policy in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.

“Lisa’s background and substantive experience make her an outstanding addition to our federal government affairs and political law teams, as well as to our unmanned aircraft systems group,” said Eric Tanenblatt, who leads the firm’s Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs practice. “Lisa’s depth of Executive branch experience combined with a broad understanding of policy issues, is of great interest to our clients domestically and throughout the world.”

Ms. Ellman has served in senior positions within three White House agencies—the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Office of Management and Budget/Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, and the Office of Presidential Personnel. As Chief Counselor for the Open Government Partnership for the Executive Office of the President, she represented the U.S. internationally leading the Obama administration’s domestic effort to make government more efficient, effective, transparent and collaborative. Ms. Ellman has advised more than 40 countries on open government strategy and has worked in close partnership with civil society organizations and private industry to further these commitments. While at OMB, Ms. Ellman served as the U.S. point person with Mexico to enhance economic competitiveness and economic well-being for both countries through improved international regulatory cooperation, She coordinated trilateral regulatory cooperation efforts among Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.

McKenna’s Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs Practice

Ms. Ellman joins McKenna’s politically diverse, bipartisan public policy team, which includes: former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean; former President George H.W. Bush White House Political Director Ron Kaufman; former President Clinton Administration official U.S. Ambassador to Canada Gordon Giffin; former Georgia State Attorney General and President of the National Association of Attorneys General Thurbert Baker; and former Mayor of the District of Columbia Anthony Williams.

McKenna’s Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs practitioners work with federal, state, and municipal government agencies across the country offering strategic counsel and support to expand government markets, as well as shape public policy. The team’s Political Law group is a nationally recognized practice that helps clients legally and ethically interact with government at the highest federal and state levels on a range of political, election law, and ethics issues, including campaign finance, issue advocacy, lobby disclosure, and pay-to-play.

McKenna’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Practice Group

McKenna’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Practice Group is comprised of attorneys and professionals focused on emerging issues , such as design and operator certification; operations in U.S. civil airspace; limiting tort liability; insurance and risk management; commercial/contracts; emergency response; privacy; intellectual property; export control; regulatory and enforcement issues; hazardous materials; and cybersecurity.

About McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

McKenna Long & Aldridge is an international law firm with more than 575 attorneys and public policy advisors in 15 offices and 13 markets. The firm is uniquely positioned at the intersection of law, business and government, representing clients in the areas of complex litigation, corporate law, energy, environment, finance, government contracts, health care, infrastructure, insurance, intellectual property, private client services, public policy, real estate, and technology. Please visit www.mckennalong.com for more information.

With more than 30 years in the FAA’s Enforcement Division, Mr. Horowitz has been a luminary involved in administrative litigation before the National Transportation Safety Board and the Department of Transportation Office of Hearings, and in the negotiation of major settlement agreements. He also has argued cases before the U.S. Courts of Appeal.

“We’re thrilled to have Allan as part of our Aviation team, especially at this time when the future of flight is rapidly changing,” said Dane Jaques, head of McKenna’s Aviation and Transportation Practice. “We created a UAS Group as a natural extension of our longstanding representation of the aviation industry, and Allan’s extensive experience with the FAA will help us better serve our clients in this critical area.”

As mandated by Congress, the FAA is expected to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on small UAS this Fall. McKenna’s UAS Practice focuses on advocacy during this critical period of federal and state rulemaking, assisting clients in “getting a seat at the table” to shape the regulatory world in which the UAS industry will live.

About McKenna’s Aviation Practice Group

McKenna has extensive experience representing clients in all sectors of the aviation industry, including airlines, aircraft and component manufacturers, airports, charter and fractional ownership operators, corporate flight departments, fixed-base operators, maintenance repair and overhaul facilities, air traffic control service providers, aircraft ground handling service providers and others. The firm handles NTSB accident and incident investigations, FAA and European Aviation Safety Administration regulatory matters, personal injury and wrongful death litigation, employment litigation, product liability litigation, contracts, transactions, risk counseling, insurance and international matters.

About McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP is an international law firm with more than 575 attorneys and public policy advisors in 15 offices and 13 markets. The firm is uniquely positioned at the intersection of law, business and government, representing clients in the areas of complex litigation, corporate law, energy, environment, finance, government contracts, health care, infrastructure, insurance, intellectual property, private client services, public policy, real estate, and technology. For more information, visit www.mckennalong.com.

The Aviation and Transportation Practice Group of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
is sponsoring this one-day program on

September 11, 2014

Sheraton Premiere
McLean, VA

For each airframe/aircraft/engine manufacturer, there are thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of component manufacturers, parts suppliers, service centers and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities. The components and parts manufactured by these thousands of companies, as well as the services provided by them, make the aircraft and engines manufactured by the OEM possible.

This unique symposium is directed at the thousands of companies which frequently find their products or services involved in aircraft accident/incidents and other events about which they may, or may not, learn at the time they occur. On occasion, you may not learn about an issue until the OEM – your customer – notifies your company that your product or service failed and caused the problem.

During this unique program, moderated panels will discuss a wide range of topical subjects. They will include:

• As a non-OEM, how you can learn about, accidents/incidents involving your products/services and protect your position in the accident investigation.
• Dealing with the NTSB.
• Structuring an accident investigation/risk management process.
• Dealing with the OEM after the accident/incident and coordinating with them before they occur.
• Contract issues involving tenders, hold harmless and indemnity agreements.
• Dealing with your insurer before and after the problem.
• Internal programs and steps you can take to minimize your legal and regulatory exposures.

In addition, you will hear from current and former FAA officials in a lively panel discussion of regulatory and enforcement issues of concern to you.

Cost

Complimentary. Continental breakfast and lunch served.

Who Should Attend

All personnel, including executives, risk managers, safety, manufacturing,
quality control, legal and others, from avionics, component and parts manufacturers, as well as
MRO and service facilities. In addition, brokers and insurers will profit from this unique program.

Welcome Cocktail Reception

Join us for a complimentary networking reception the evening of September 10.

Information and Registration

Contact

Barbara Butler, Symposium Coordinator

Email: bbutler@mckennalong.com

Well, just when you thought you’ve seen it all, you see something which demonstrates you haven’t, not by a long shot.

On April 10, 2014, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, issued an order setting a hearing for April 28, 2014.  Incidentally, the case involved an aviation bankruptcy.  The order contains a paragraph entitled “Appropriate Attire,” which states:

“You are reminded that Local Rule 5072-1(b)(16) requires that all persons appearing in court should dress in business attire consistent with their financial abilities.  Shorts, sandals, shirts without collars, including tee shirts and tank tops, are not acceptable.”

This is the kind of warning I’m accustomed to seeing at restaurants or other types of retail establishments.  One can only imagine the kind of attire which has shown up in Judge McEwen’s courtroom worn by spectators.  Now, I know its Florida, and the phrase “business attire,” may actually include tee shirts and flip flops in the minds of some, particularly if that’s what their “financial abilities” dictate.

Reading this order as a comment on how some people have obviously shown up in federal court, I start thinking about the powdered wigs and robes worn by barristers in England and whether we ought to be moving back in that direction instead of telling people not to wear sandals, shirts, tee shirts or tank tops to court.

It’s a sad comment that it takes a federal judge to define what isn’t “appropriate attire” in a federal court.