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Practice Areas | Aviation Law

Our firm defends manufacturers, operators, FBOs and other defendants in aviation matters. We also represent aviation insurers in coverage matters. The firm has been deeply involved in aviation litigation throughout the Pacific Northwest for well over 30 years, and has handled trial and appellate cases in the state and federal courts of Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Members of the firm have handled challenging and cutting-edge legal issues concerning such matters as the Warsaw Convention, the Air Carrier Access Act, the Federal Tort Claims Act, the Government Contractor Defense, and the General Aviation Revitalization Act.

Members of the firm are also active in the regional and national aviation bar. They have served as featured speakers at aviation programs such as the SMU Air Law Symposium, the NTSB Bar Association Seminar, the Seattle-King County Aviation Bar Symposium, the Northwest Aviation Insurance Association Annual Seminar, among others. Members have also served as Chairperson for the Aviation Insurance Chapter of the Insurance Practice Guide published by the Oregon State Bar. They have also assisted and taught courses on aviation law at Lewis & Clark Law School. Representative clients include the following: Sikorsky Aircraft; Allison Engine Company, Bell Helicopter Textron, General Motors Corporation, Robinson Helicopters, Global Aerospace, United Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, US Aviation Underwriters, various London underwriters, CTC Services Aviation, AIG Aviation, Pathfinder Insurance.

• A variety of product liability claims for helicopter manufacturers arising from helicopter logging accidents.
• Representation of a turbo prop engine manufacturer sued in conjunction with the crash of a military C-130 that crashed at sea.
• Defense of airlines in claims brought by passengers and passenger estates in a variety of circumstances, including international and foreign flights, commuter flights, and everything in between.
• Defense of FBOs sued for improper maintenance, flight instruction, and liability for rented aircraft.
• Defense of an airport operator for an alleged failure to keep wildlife off the runway.
• Defense of aircraft pilots and owners against a variety of claims arising from general aviation accidents and incidents.
• Successful defense of an airline under the Warsaw Convention, on a claim arising from a passenger's altercation with a flight crew during an international flight.