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Regulation of the aviation industry is intense and unremitting. To achieve compliance and maximize economic performance, participants require dedicated aviation counsel. Very few law firms support an aviation practice as diverse and far-reaching as Cozen O’Connor’s, which is nationally ranked by Chambers and Partners USA in Aviation Regulatory.
Cozen O’Connor represents major U.S. and foreign passenger and cargo airlines, airline trade associations, aircraft, engine and equipment manufacturers, aircraft lessors, international business aviation companies, air travel distribution companies, advanced air mobility/air taxi and uncrewed aircraft system (drone) manufacturers, operators and associations, air/ground express delivery companies, and logistics specialists. Our attorneys also advise and represent large corporations, banks, private individuals, private equity funds, and other investors with aviation-related operations or transactions.
Cozen O’Connor advises clients on the full array of aviation laws and regulations, including those enforced by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Our team also regularly advises aviation clients on antitrust matters, including those before the U.S. Department of Justice. More specifically, the firm advises on economic and code-sharing authority, international routes, frequencies and traffic rights, antitrust immunity, export controls and sanctions, air travel distribution, licensing and certification, private aviation, aircraft registration, taxes and fees, airport slots, rates and charges, consumer protection enforcement, safety and security, and compliance with ICAO standards. During the coronavirus pandemic, our team has been actively involved in advising major U.S. and foreign airlines and other aviation companies on a wide range of COVID-related issues, including those under the CARES Act.
Cozen O’Connor regularly assists with major aviation-related transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, alliances, joint ventures, sale and leasing of aircraft, aviation financings, and aircraft management and ownership agreements. Our finance attorneys support innovative cross-border deals and work closely with attorneys in the tax practice to develop innovative solutions.
As other firms move away from industry-specific practices, Cozen O’Connor has continued to invest in building a one-stop shop for aviation industry clients. With offices in 30 cities across two continents and attorneys with direct experience in aviation regulation, transactions, and litigation, Cozen O’Connor has the capacity to respond promptly and effectively to aviation client needs no matter where they arise. The firm’s aviation regulatory team has advised on landmark airline mergers and the formation of new air carriers, the development of federal rules on aircraft safety and security, and the reorganization and management of airlines in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Another distinguishing feature of Cozen O’Connor is that we operate a bipartisan government relations group based in Washington, D.C. Our skilled government affairs team represents clients before all three branches of the U.S. federal government and various state bodies. Key members of the Public Strategies group have direct aviation industry experience, including a former general counsel to the U.S. Export-Import Bank and former senior members of the staff of key congressional committees.
Indeed, our aviation practice as a whole is staffed by longtime leaders of the aviation bar, including a former security policy director at a major U.S. airline, the editor of leading treatises on aviation law in the U.S. and Europe, and the editor-in-chief of The Air & Space Lawyer, a quarterly publication of the American Bar Association. Cozen O’Connor prides itself on staffing matters leanly with seasoned attorneys and other professionals who can provide sophisticated, cost-effective service.