Forum Divisions & Committees

Airports

Airports are central to all aspects of the aviation industry and airport law is the intersection of airlines, the federal government, local governments, and all other aviation businesses. The Airports Committee seeks to provide Forum members with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in the critical airport environment by exploring the intersection and relationships between airports and other aviation sectors. We seek interested legal professionals, policy makers, academics, and law students to join the wonderful world of Airport Law!

To join, please email Dawn Holiday at Dawn.Holiday@americanbar,org or David Israel at [email protected].

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Aviation and Space Finance

Whether it be aircraft, airline, airport, a space mission or general financing of an aviation or commercial space related company, this committee wants to be the destination of choice for in-house, government and external lawyers whose practices touch on the world of finance and leasing.

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Cargo

Air cargo is a vital part of the aviation industry that dates back over a century. Today, all-cargo airlines and also passenger airlines each day move vast quantities of goods around the globe ranging from food, electronics, pharmaceuticals, clothing, flowers, and industrial goods that keep supply chains moving, shelves stocked, and enhance the quality of life for people the world over. The air cargo industry differs in key respects from the passenger airline industry and, accordingly, has long been subject to a unique set of statutory, regulatory, and other legal requirements. This Committee will focus on this vital segment of the aviation industry and its legal environment. The Committee welcomes anyone with an interest in air cargo and its legal issues.

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Consumer Protection and Aviation Anti-Trust

The Competition and Consumer Protection Committee provides Forum members the opportunity to discuss, debate and address the always-important and increasingly-converging areas of competition and consumer protection in the aviation community. The U.S. aviation landscape has undergone significant changes in these areas, including both consolidation and the growth of new types of carriers, the rise of antitrust-immunized alliances, and DOT’s ongoing efforts relating to marketplace rules regarding the passenger experience. We will explore the state of competition and consumer protection today as well as the dynamic changes that the future is sure to bring. We encourage participation by all stakeholders with interests in the legal and policy aspects of these topics.

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Drones: Regulations, Operations and Litigation

The Committee aims to be a go-to resource for the ABA community on the growing field of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (“UAS” or drones) Law and related cutting-edge issues.

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Forum’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee is here to help make DE & I a core part of our culture and insert DE&I thinking in all aspects of Forum leadership and activities. One thing we can all do is normalize discussions of topics like inherent bias and racial equity. Addressing these topics makes some people uneasy at first, but discussing them is important and becomes easier with practice. That initial unease is identifying areas of improvement and growth. Like stretching a tight muscle, with repetition your thought patterns can become more flexible. The ABA Diversity and Inclusion Center has many resources that individuals and organizations can use to turn DE&I principles into cultural touchstones. Try taking a Harvard Implicit Bias Test, review implicit bias videos and toolkits, learn how law firms, corporate legal departments, companies, and corporations can create successful LGBT ally training programs, learn about insights and advice gathered from women of color partners in national law firms, and more.

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General, Business and Charter Aviation

The purpose of the committee is to be a resource for lawyers that practice aviation law outside of the scheduled (Part 121) airline world, such as charter operators, flight departments, agricultural operations and general aviation.

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Space Law

The Space Law Committee was established to promote the interests of the space law community by fostering the participation of attorneys and policy makers in the commercial, civil, defense and academic sectors related to space activities. The Space Law Committee solicits the active involvement of law students, professors, attorneys and policy makers from the United States and abroad to collectively ensure that law and policy promotes the peaceful uses of outer space.

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Sustainability

Sustainability of people, planet and profits is increasingly critical in all aspects of aerospace activities. While advances in environmentally responsible manufacturing, operations and supply chains are fundamental, we must also protect the health, safety and well-being of humankind and the world we inhabit, while simultaneously generating the financial results that fuel the industry. The global Covid-19 pandemic demonstrates how easily a fragile and interconnected balance is interrupted; sustainability is a broad topic that explores themes to mitigate such interruptions. The committee welcomes involvement and input from Forum members interested in exploring issues across the spectrum relating to the sustainable future of travel, transport and space.

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Young Lawyer

We are always seeking involvement from interested young lawyers to help expand the reach and activities of the Young Lawyers Group of the Forum. The opportunities are endless- whether its creating a committee, joining a planning group, or managing social media.

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