Business Services
Transportation & Logistics
Our Transportation Law Group provides comprehensive legal representation to transportation service providers across a broad range of needs. We handle corporate matters, labor affairs, contract negotiations, real estate transactions, and civil litigation in both federal and state courts. Our team also coordinates immediate response efforts and offers expert advice on compliance with federal and state laws, as well as on navigating proposed and pending legislation. With deep expertise in motor carriers, autonomous vehicles, passenger, air, water, and rail transportation, we understand the unique challenges of the transportation and logistics industries.
We work with third-party logistics providers, private fleets, commercial vessels, and various types of carriers, offering integrated legal services that address the full scope of industry-specific issues. Our attorneys are skilled in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating essential transportation agreements, ensuring our clients secure favorable terms and maintain strong business relationships. In addition to traditional transportation sectors, our team provides cutting-edge legal support surrounding the use of drones (UAS) and drone technology.
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
- Drafted a form broker transportation services agreement for a shipper of durable goods for use with brokers
- Performed a review and revision of all contracts for an expedited freight motor carrier with the carrier's shippers, brokers and vendors
- Performed a review and revision of all contracts for a transportation broker with the broker's motor carriers, shippers and vendors
- Drafted third-party logistics provider contracts on behalf of LTL motor carrier
- Reviewed and revised passenger authorization form for a motor carrier
- Drafted independent contractor lease agreement between a motor carrier and an owner-operator
- Review and draft broker-carrier contracts, owner-operator agreements, shipper-vendor contracts, commercial leases, non-disclosure agreements, non-solicitation agreements, web design agreements, liability waivers, lending agreements, and conditional sale agreements
- Advised a college with a presence on laws and regulations that bear on drone use on its campuses in multiple states
- Defended a major American airline in claims for personal injury and property damage
- Advised a major American airline on legal principles and claims handling after a passenger on-board suicidejor American airline in claims for personal injury and property damage
- Successfully prevented plaintiffs from obtaining damages for "preimpact fear"
- Represented a cargo warehousing company in personal injury claims arising out of the loading of engine blocks into a tractor-trailer
What We Do
- Facilitate commercial transactions
- Manage driver leasing and equipment leasing
- Implement emergency response protocols and services
- Address hazardous materials issues
- Assess independent contractor and employee status
- Provide insurance coverage advice
- Navigate international transportation law
- Advise on labor and employment matters
- Advise on mergers, acquisitions, and corporate structuring
- Handle multi-modal coverage issues
- Resolve personal injury, property damage, and cargo claims
- Ensure regulatory compliance
- Deliver risk management services
- Advise on taxation matters
- Manage trucking litigation and counseling
- Represent clients in workers' compensation cases
- Negotiate, draft, and review transportation contracts
- Evaluate risks and benefits of transportation contract provisions
- Identify insurance and contract needs to protect and grow the business
- Develop drone-use policies
- Advise on drone defense of certificate actions