Millions of Americans watched in amazement on January 15, 2009, as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger miraculously landed US Airways Flight 1549 safely in the Hudson River. Office conference rooms were packed with people watching company televisions, while others kept updated on the Internet (so much for productivity that day). Instead of conversation about the most recent episode of “American Idol” peppering the water cooler, the conversation focused on what caused this plane to go down and how Sully was able to save the lives of every passenger on board. For those attorneys who were among the millions tilting their head for a view of the public TV or hitting the browser refresh button over and over to get the latest updates on their computer screen, the Aerospace Law Committee is for you!
We are a group of professionals who work and/or are interested in the field of aviation law. Our committee includes attorneys defending the interests of airlines, aircraft product manufacturers and suppliers, maintenance organizations, aviation brokers, insurers/reinsurers, publishers of aeronautical data and training facilities, on a national and international scale. Committee members counsel clients in complex commercial transactions regarding the purchase and sale of aircraft, both large and small. Others represent clients in regulatory and enforcement matters before the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board, as well as other international agencies and authorities. Still others are involved in litigation arising from international and domestic aviation accidents and disputes regarding the performance of aerospace products.
But we are not just attorneys: we are also insurers, consultants and other experts in the industry. In other words, it is worth joining just for the contacts.
As a committee, we provide much more than just contacts and networking events. We also provide educational opportunities ranging from our “Aviation Boot Camp” webconference CLE series aimed at novices in the field, which was a great success last year and will continue this year, to our newsletter and magazine contributions, which further the knowledge of even our most erudite members. For those of you looking to impart your knowledge to others or simply polish up that ever-evolving CV and increase exposure, you are welcome to submit articles to our newsletter, Skywritings, or any of the other publications to which we contribute, such as For The Defense. Alternatively, we always welcome contributors for the law program we present each year at the DRI Annual Meeting.
Our membership is on the rise. Over the last year, our membership increased by nearly 20 percent, as young and mid-level attorneys, as well as experienced practitioners, continue to discover the unique opportunities our committee has to offer.
We are recruiting and appointing the next generation of leadership for our committee. If this description of our activity sounds like activity that would further your professional development, or would just be fun, we want to welcome you.
If you are intrigued, please consider joining us. We invite you to get involved today with the Aerospace Law Committee and help plan and lead our activities, presentations and publications for the coming year.