McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP is a world leader in providing high quality legal assistance to the aviation and transportation industry. Our Aviation and Transportation Practice Group’s familiarity with aviation and transportation law and technical issues enables us to advise our clients successfully on how to structure business deals, avoid and manage litigation and comply with transportation regulations, statutes and treaty requirements in daily operations, as well as in response to accidents and major incidents.
The Aviation & Transportation practice includes:
Airlines - Our attorneys have a wide range of experience in handling all types of matters affecting airlines. These run the gamut from regulatory compliance, transactions, corporate matters and contracts, to employment and tort claims ranging from minor injuries to major airline disasters. Our clients include major air carriers, regional airlines, low-cost carriers and start-up carriers.
General Aviation - Over the years, our lawyers have handled hundreds of general aviation matters on behalf of aircraft and component manufacturers, airports, charter and fractional ownership operators, corporate flight departments, fixed-base operators, repair stations, air traffic control service providers, aircraft ground handling service providers and others. These have ranged from establishing and certificating business entities, to regulatory compliance matters, to litigation involving everything from sophisticated business jets to entry-level, single engine aircraft.
Airports - We have extensive experience in the representation of airports of all sizes. For example, at one end of the spectrum, we have represented one of the largest and busiest airports in the United States in all areas, including tort claims ranging from slips and falls, to motor vehicle accidents, false arrest claims and aircraft damage. We also represented an airport sued in the 9-11 litigation and were successful in having it dismissed from all litigation arising from that disaster. Our clients also include smaller airports and fixed-base operators, where we represent them in everything from tort claims and litigation arising from injuries and deaths, to environmental compliance audits. We have authored an environmental compliance handbook for use by airport management.
Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Facilities - We represent Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities with operations throughout the world, handling matters that include regulatory compliance, personal injury and wrongful death litigation, employment issues, contract disputes and transactional matters. We understand the MRO business and the challenges MRO facilities face competing in the global marketplace.
Ground Handling Services - We represent the providers of airport ground handling services including fueling, baggage handling, deicing, skycap services and all those services necessary to keep aircraft operational and airports functioning. Our role as national counsel for such clients is a natural fit with the national and international nature of their operations and our law firm.
Aircraft and Component Manufacturers - We represent airframe and component manufacturers in matters that include personal injury and wrongful death litigation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)/European Aviation Safety Administration (EASA) regulatory compliance matters, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) incident and accident investigations, employment, contracts and transactions. Our broad background in the aviation industry allows us to understand the complex technical and legal issues faced by manufacturers.
National Transportation Safety Board Matters - Our attorneys have represented clients in nearly every major airline accident investigation conducted by the NTSB over the last 30 years. We routinely assist transportation companies in preparing for and managing major NTSB accident investigations in all modes of transportation, including aviation, pipeline, railroad and highway accidents.
Federal Aviation Administration Matters - We represent the full spectrum of aviation clients in matters arising from potential violations of federal aviation regulations, including enforcement actions seeking civil penalties and revocation or suspension of individual and corporate certificates and ratings. We also assist our aviation clients in establishing and certificating entities consistent with the requirements of aviation regulations, statutes and treaties. We pride ourselves in being able, in many cases, to assist our clients in resolving a problem before it develops. Where one already exists, we strive to resolve it in a way that is consistent with all of the client’s interests, including the need to maintain an ongoing relationship with governmental authorities.
Other Governmental Agency Matters - We also have extensive experience representing the interests of our aviation clients in matters involving other governmental agencies such as the Department of Transportation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the State Department, and the Transportation Security Administration, among others. Our work ranges from matters involving alleged regulatory violations, to petitions for authority, to requests for agency assistance.
Risk Counseling & Insurance - Our attorneys frequently give advice on how to assess, avoid or minimize the risks of litigation in the aviation and transportation industry, including pre-purchase liability audits and advice on how to structure transactions and insurance to limit exposure.
International Matters - We represent clients throughout the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Central America and South America. Our international clients include foreign airlines, charter operators, airports, MRO facilities and ground handling companies. The unique problems associated with international aviation and transportation matters have become second nature to us. Our attorneys have dealt with issues involving foreign accidents, foreign claims and litigation, compliance with foreign regulations and treaty requirements, privatization and the unique issues presented when the client is owned by a foreign government, such as a national airline or foreign airport.
Other Litigation - As part of its aviation and broad commercial litigation practice, MLA has represented clients in commercial disputes involving aircraft, aviation purchase agreements, aircraft modification agreements, regulatory, insurance and lease issues. The depth of our aviation and transportation-related experience can also be seen in our representation of clients in the aviation and transportation field in many diverse practice areas, such as our established Environmental, Government Contracts, Insurance, Labor and Employment and Products Liability practices.