The Legal Affairs Committee provides airport attorneys with a forum to share information about new developments in case law, statutes and regulations affecting airports; the Committee also monitors pending airport litigation. Through its steering group, recommendations are made to the ACI-NA Board and Executive Committee regarding requests that ACI-NA file “friend of the court” briefs at the appellate stage of cases in federal and state court, where those cases are likely to have significant implications for U.S. airports. The Committee reviews and edits draft briefs prior to filing.
In addition, the Committee drafts and edits comments filed in proceedings pending before administrative agencies of the federal government, and assists ACI-NA in informal discussions with those federal agencies. The Committee, through the ACI-NA staff, maintains for the use of its members, sample language for various airport legal documents, e.g., policies, RFP’s, minimum standards, easements, etc. The Legal Affairs Committee also responds to requests from the ACI-NA Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and other ACI-NA departments for information regarding legal issues affecting airports, and provides speakers to other ACI-NA committees on a variety of airport legal issues.
Finally, the Committee plans two important conferences for its members, held in the spring and fall annually. These conferences update airport lawyers throughout North America on the most pressing legal, regulatory and litigation issues facing airports. Speakers usually include private practitioners, airport attorneys and leading government regulatory officials from key agencies involved in airport and aviation issues.
Leadership
Chair
Amy Gonzalez
San Diego International Airport
Committee Secretary
Leila Lahbabi
(202) 293-8500
Get Involved
Press Releases
September 7, 2023
ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke today welcomed President Biden’s nomination of former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker as the next FAA Administrator.
May 4, 2023
Established through the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act, the new FAA UAS Detection and Mitigation Systems Aviation Rulemaking Committee will make recommendations for the expanded use of, and possible standards for, drone detection and mitigation technologies.
March 23, 2023
ACI-NA today released the 2023 U.S. Airport Infrastructure Needs Report: Growing Needs Heighten Urgency to Modernize America’s Airports. ACI-NA estimates that America’s airports need $151 billion over the next five years to fund necessary infrastructure projects, up more than 30 percent from $115 billion just two years ago.
Events
ACI-NA Commentary on Legal Affairs
Even 22 years later, the stories of esteemed aviation leaders and their response to the September 11, 2001, terror attacks continue to provide learning opportunities for the benefit of future […]
During the 2022 ACI-NA Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Alessio Olivetti caught up with Scott Pelley, the 60 Minutes correspondent and 2022 annual conference keynote, who shared his experience as tireless […]
Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, today announced the formation of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion […]
