Aviation
GRSM has a multi-disciplinary national aviation law practice encompassing all aspects of aviation law services provided by lawyers located throughout our offices, including product liability, general liability, employment law, labor law, ERISA, bankruptcy, immigration, tax, wealth management, toxic tort, and hospitality. Many of our attorneys are licensed pilots and some have been involved in commercial aviation operations. Others have guided commercial aviation operators and aircraft owners in the process of purchasing, owning and operating these substantial assets. Our experience includes the following:
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General liability defense - Defense of major airline and business aircraft operators, ground handling companies, and aviation service companies in cases involving emergency landings; evacuation incidents; aircraft depressurizations; accidents on the tarmac and on aircrafts; work site accidents; denied boarding and ticketing issues; turbulence injuries; and slip and falls on jet bridges and inside the terminals; including extensive experience applying the Montreal and Warsaw Agreements and the IATA Intercarrier Agreement. We have also handled hundreds of matters defending aviation service companies in cases involving: (1) terminal/passenger services (skycap, assisting customers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, passenger document verification, baggage transport, bus services, check-in/ticketing, airline clubs); (2) security services (parking lot security, checkpoints, hanger protection, warehouse, screening); and (3) ground handling services (aircraft cleaning, ramps, jet bridges).
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Representation of general aviation and commercial airports, including examination and analysis of airport sponsor's compliance with federal and state grant assurances.
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Representation of Fixed Based Operators and other airport lessees in all aspects of airport business, including fuel contracts, long and short term lease negotiations, concessionaire agreements, grant assurance compliance, collections, and risk assessments.
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Representation of Aircraft Owners, including aircraft ownership structure and operations, management company audits and purchase and sale agreements.
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Representation of Airport Developers, including extensive experience with through-the-fence operations.
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Land use planning litigation and representation, including airport creation and protection, conditional or special use permits, and non-conforming use.
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Federal Aviation Administration enforcement action defense, including Part 13 and 16 Complaints, violation of transportation of hazardous materials regulations, and emergency and non-emergency certificate revocations.
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All aviation related litigation, including collections, mechanic's lien foreclosures, aviation business foreclosure, management fee recoupment and UCC litigation.
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All aviation related business transactions, including obtaining and transferring Part 135 and Part 145 certificates, purchasing and selling Fixed Based Operators, and hangar condominium developments.
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Litigation and Arbitration involving Federal Aviation and Department of Defense contracts.