Business Services
Transportation & Logistics
Representation of transportation service providers includes corporate matters, labor affairs, contract negotiations, real estate transactions, the implementation and coordination of immediate response teams, civil litigation in all federal and state courts, and advice regarding compliance with existing federal and state laws, as well as proposed and pending legislation.
We offer our clients integrated knowledge and an experienced understanding of how legal issues within the industry incorporate a broad scope of other services within our firm.
Our attorneys focus on the motor carrier, autonomous vehicle, passenger, air, water, third-party logistic providers, and rail transportation segments of the transportation and logistics industries. In addition to direct suppliers and users of such services, our transportation attorneys' client base includes third-party logistics providers; private fleets; commercial vessels; barge and shipping industries on the Inland Rivers, Great Lakes, and the Gulf, including cargo, employment, Jones Act; collision and environmental issues related to water borne commerce; brokers; insurance specialists, and insurance carriers, in areas such as litigation, transactional, and contractual assignments. The firm's clients represent a cross-section of carriers such as couriers; package; less-than-truckload; truckload; general freight; liquid and dry bulk; temperature-controlled; public transit; and rail carriers; as well as airlines; domestic freight forwarders; transportation brokers; and insurers of the industry.
The Transportation Law Group is experienced and aware of any industry issues that affect both shippers and carriers who deal with the many challenges of delivering, transporting, and receiving commercial goods in interstate, intrastate, and foreign commerce. We offer our clients integrated knowledge and an experienced understanding of how legal issues within the transportation industry incorporate a broad scope of other practice area services within our firm.
Our Experience
- Serve as national counsel, regional counsel or an equivalent role for numerous transportation carriers, insurance carriers, retail entities and other businesses
- Represented major transportation carriers and insurers in local, regional and national liability litigation
- Represented major transportation carriers in local, regional and national cargo claims litigation
- Served as coordinated counsel for emergency response protocol for transportation, retail and business clients involving catastrophic accidents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Served as national transportation counsel for several large retail grocers
- Counsel to seven large bus companies operating throughout Ohio
- Participated in worker classification matters on a national basis related to owner-operators
- Represented several motor carriers in various segments within the industry regarding the creation and establishment of preventative owner/operator/independent contractor operation models, including their requisite contractual documentation and ongoing training
- Represented several major motor carriers before the national Office of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding worker classification issues
- Significant experience in shipper/carrier contractual relationships and shipper/broker and carrier/broker relationships involving several Fortune 100 retailers
- Represented a transit authority in the acquisition of properties for development of a rail line and completed associated environmental due diligence activities
- Negotiated property-related agreements and joint facility agreements
- Represented AirTran Airways in federal whistleblower actions, including Majali v. AirTran Airways, Dept. of Labor ARB and Branche v. AirTran Airways
- Represented aviation employers in employee discrimination claims, including national origin, race and sex
- Represented a fixed-based operator (FBO) at one of the busiest executive airports in South Florida in the sale of its operations to one of the largest operators of FBO facilities worldwide, with signification tax and government law issues involved; transaction was a hybrid real estate/corporate transaction combining the sale of operating assets with a sublease of the operating facilities from the seller to the buyer, while retaining the rights to develop two commercial outparcels pursuant to the original lease held from the airport authority
- Facilitated Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (ACIUZ) planning for Massachusetts Port Authority, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and Akron Canton Airport Authority
- Represented Associated Aviation Underwriters in environmental claims by Massport, Delta Airlines and American Airlines related to flight operations
- Handled environmental issues citations associated with maintenance and hangar operations for several carriers at McCoy Field
- Accident/passenger claims by passengers injured during takeoff, landing and taxi
- Represented a carrier for claims of passenger discrimination and racial profiling aimed at persons of Arab descent
- Commercial disputes with suppliers of equipment and services, including complicated hushkit litigation associated with operations of DC-9 aircraft
- Represented Planet Airlines for certificate issues for operations at McCoy Field and Fort Lauderdale Airport
- Represented air carriers in union arbitrations for pilots, flight attendants, maintenance and ramp workers on diverse issues, including bids, scheduling and overtime calculation
- Represented Naval Air Stations as corporate counsel for all legal issues
- Drafted hangar service agreements, fuel purchase agreements and vendor sublease agreements for a fixed-base operator
- Represented a fixed-base operator in tenant eviction actions
- Represented a fixed-base operator in placing liens on aircraft for non-payment of fuel purchases, hangar rent and ramp tie-down fees
- Represented a fixed-base operator in obtaining final judgments against aircraft owners for non-payment of services
- Represented a fixed-base operator in post-judgment enforcement, including garnishing debtors' assets and levying on debtors' aircraft
- Represented a major Northeast Ohio airport in general aviation facility ground leases for fixed-based operators, specialized aviation service providers and private aircraft hangars
- Represented a major Northeast Ohio airport in connection with a public bidding dispute involving excavation contractors for significant runway construction project excavation phase
- Represented a county airport in drafting of minimum standards for its aeronautical activities
- Represented a fixed-base operator in sale of business
- Represented an airport in connection with airport terminal food concessionaire agreement
- Counseled an airport board in regard to public entity and conflict of interest policies
- Drafted a private aircraft charter agreement template for corporate jet
- Drafted a private aircraft management agreement
- Represented an airport management contractor in connection with airport agreement for a county airport
- Represented a seller in a 1031 exchange involving disposition/acquisition of a commercial hangar facility and a corporate jet
- Represented an airport in cell tower lease site negotiations
- Represented an airport in rental car company lease for terminal counter space
- Represented an airport in landlord consent documentation for ground tenant financing transactions
- Represent an owner of business aircraft in documenting charter and leasing agreements
- Represented a Fort Lauderdale-based cargo airline on leasing 767 aircraft to update its fleet
- Represented a discount air carrier in formation and capital raising efforts
- Represented numerous parties in the purchase, sale, lease and financing of commercial and business aircraft
- Relying on the Montreal Convention, obtained partial summary judgment for commercial airline in baggage damage claim
What We Do
- Commercial transactions
- Driver leasing
- Emergency response protocol and services
- Equipment leasing
- Hazardous materials
- Independent contractor / employee status
- Insurance coverage
- International law
- Labor and employment
- Mergers & acquisitions and corporate structuring
- Multi-modal coverage
- Personal injury, property damage and cargo claims
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk management services
- Taxation
- Trucking litigation and counseling
- Workers' compensation