We are both familiar with and experienced in handling the legal, regulatory and investigative considerations that are unique to the aviation industry. Our team includes attorneys who are certificated pilots with trial experience in complex aviation litigation. You won’t have to spend money educating our litigators on aviation issues – they are already knowledgeable in the field of aeronautics and familiar with the key technical, regulatory and legal issues involved. With extensive experience representing U.S.-based and foreign clients involved in the aviation industry, our attorneys handle cases in litigation and also counsel and advise clients with respect to liability risks, contractual warranty and indemnity issues, insurance and other issues related to aviation.
Our litigators regularly appear in state and federal courts throughout the country, as well as in arbitration proceedings, mediation and government investigations. We represent aviation clients in Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enforcement actions, commercial disputes, and in complex products liability, negligence and wrongful death cases.
In addition to litigating cases on behalf of our clients, we also counsel those same clients in connection with the evaluation of liability exposure and aviation insurance issues. Along with our firm’s aircraft transactional lawyers we advise on warranties, disclaimers, indemnification, limitation of liability and similar provisions in aircraft purchase agreements, leases, aircraft management agreements, maintenance agreements and related contracts.
Shackelford’s aviation litigators carefully tailor litigation strategies to each client and each situation. Rather than providing cut-and-paste representation, we provide alternative perspectives and practical, real world solutions by being creative, adaptive, and persuasive. We staff proportionately and employ experienced attorneys who provide cost-effective service.
A sampling of our aviation litigation experience includes the following:
- DOT, FAA and TSA enforcement actions affecting pilots, mechanics, air carriers, charter operators, charter brokers, repair stations, and shippers.
- Tax disputes with respect to sales/use/property tax assessed against aircraft by various taxing authorities.
- Aircraft purchase contract disputes including claims between private sellers and buyers, as well as claims on behalf of new aircraft purchasers against aircraft manufacturers arising from defective manufacturing and breach of contract.
- Disputes regarding negligent maintenance and damage to aircraft and engines.
- Disputes arising from aircraft leases, management agreements and various other business arrangements between aviation clients.
- Disputes relating to foreclosure of aircraft liens and third-party interests.
- Representing owners and insurers of private aircraft in litigation involving property damage, wrongful death and personal injury claims
