Transportation & Logistics

We advise on transportation infrastructure projects across all modes and at every stage—from planning and procurement to financing, design/construction, and long-term operation and maintenance. We work with both public and private stakeholders—government agencies, developers, concessionaires, lenders, and contractors—to deliver large-scale projects and programs that improve mobility and connectivity.

Our experience spans public transportation and transit infrastructure, such as rail stations, transit lines, and intermodal hubs; as well as port, bridge, tunnel, interchange, and highway projects. We handle both financed and non-financed initiatives across project delivery methods and have represented clients on all sides of a transaction.

Our services include:

• Procurement and delivery strategies, including design-build, CM/GC/progressive design-build, ground leases, and construction contracts
• Financing structures, infrastructure equity investment, and asset monetization
• Navigating land use, zoning, environmental review, permitting processes, and eminent domain
• Legislative support to establish statutory authority and program frameworks
• Advising on infrastructure-related transactions and asset transfers
• Identifying and mitigating contractual risks across all phases of project delivery
• Project implementation and dispute avoidance

Our team assists with structuring and closing asset-based and operational transactions across transportation sectors. Our attorneys handle domestic and cross-border deals involving aviation, maritime, logistics, and surface transportation assets. We serve as lead or local counsel on transactions that span regulatory, tax, and commercial dimensions.

Representative work includes:

• Projects: Private and public bidding and negotiation of transportation infrastructure
• Aviation: Aircraft and engine purchases, sales, operating leases, financing leases, pre-delivery payment (PDP) financings, aircraft and engine maintenance contracts, cargo conversion contracts, completion contracts, and fractional ownership programs
• Maritime: Vessel acquisitions, ship mortgages, foreign and U.S. documentation, cargo contracts, Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) licensing, and marine salvage agreements
• Logistics and Motor Carrier: Sale and purchase of fleet assets and intermodal operations agreements, and freight handling contracts
• Cross-Border and Infrastructure: International import/export compliance for aircraft and vessels, and agreements tied to infrastructure projects
• High-Net-Worth: Advising individuals on acquiring, registering, and documenting aircraft and luxury vessels, with a focus on tax planning, operational compliance, and foreign ownership considerations

We bring deep knowledge of the regulatory and transactional frameworks that govern transportation asset transfers, frequently serving as local counsel to global carriers and financing institutions.

We partner closely with clients to understand their business goals, assess risk, and chart a litigation strategy that advances those objectives. We represent clients in high-stakes disputes, regulatory proceedings, and arbitration, handling tort, contract, insurance, and compliance matters across multiple jurisdictions, both nationally and internationally. By coordinating with our regulatory and transactional teams, we help clients resolve disputes efficiently while protecting broader operational and strategic interests.

Representative work includes:

• Accident & Class Action Claims: Commercial tort and contract matters, claims arising out of transportation accidents such as railroad grade crossing collisions, aviation issues, and other property and personal injury litigation, and product liability matters involving recalls and warranty disputes
• Commercial & Regulatory Disputes: Contract breaches, lease and parts issues, antitrust claims, and enforcement actions
• Construction & Infrastructure Disputes: Construction disputes and litigation for public agencies and private developers involving major transportation infrastructure, including light rail systems, intermodal hubs, commuter rail projects, and port facilities, including airside, landside, and waterside
• Environmental Litigation: Pollution claims, marine spills, toxic torts, asbestos, and chemical exposure defense
• Insurance, Cargo, & Liability Matters: Cargo loss, salvage disputes, marine insurance issues, passenger liability, contract and freight charge claims, and lost or damaged cargo disputes under the Carmack Amendment, the Montreal Convention, the Hague-Visby Rules and other international treaties, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the Harter Act, and applicable state and common law
• Employment: FELA personal injury and FRSA retaliation claims; rail employment litigation; avoiding and resolving claims under employment laws governing leave and disability accommodation; investigations into workplace disputes, including claims of discrimination and retaliation; workforce policy development and management training programs; and wage and hour litigation, including class and collective actions
• Labor: Collective bargaining agreements with unions; grievance arbitration matters central to transportation operations; Presidential Emergency Boards; and defense of unfair labor practice charges
• Infrastructure & Condemnation Disputes: Vendor conflicts, crossing incidents, and public transit-related real estate and eminent domain claims
• International Arbitration: Cross-border disputes under UNCITRAL, ICDR, and LCIA frameworks

Our team includes lawyers who focus their practices almost exclusively on the transportation and logistics sector, bringing comprehensive knowledge of the statutes, agencies, and contracts that govern the industry. We advise service providers across all modes of transportation, as well as 3PLs and warehousemen, bringing practical experience with the operational, contractual, and compliance issues they face.

Navigating and closing transportation service agreements demands a thorough working understanding of the regulatory frameworks that govern them—just as effective dispute resolution requires firsthand experience with industry dynamics and their underlying contracts and compliance issues. We help clients manage the complexities of U.S. and international regulations that impact transportation operations, infrastructure, and financing.

Key areas include:

• Aviation: FAA, DOT, and state aviation licensing, charter structuring, and related U.S. tax and cross-border compliance for aircraft ownership, sales, leases, and financing
• Freight Forwarding & Logistics Contracts: Drafting and negotiating domestic and international freight forwarding agreements, NVOCC Service Arrangements (NSAs), and warehousing terms and conditions
• FMC Compliance & Licensing: Handling FMC licensing and renewal, responding to audits and enforcement actions, and advising on OTI registration and bonding requirements
• FMCSA & CSA Issues: Counseling on motor carrier safety ratings, hours-of-service rules, safety audits, and CSA scoring, and assisting with FMCSA licensing and enforcement proceedings
• Maritime & Port Regulation: U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Federal Maritime Commission and state agencies; mortgages under the Commercial Instruments and Maritime Lien Act (CIMLA); as well as international standards impacting marine cargo, port operations, and vessel documentation
• Autonomous & Drone Operations: Regulatory strategy for drone logistics, delivery technology, and autonomous vehicle platforms
• Motor Carrier Operations: Including hours-of-service, ERISA, and intermodal oversight
• Rail & Transit Regulations: Including FRA oversight, FTA funding programs, and safety standards
• Infrastructure & Environmental Permitting: Agency coordination, environmental review, and permitting for federally funded projects