Best Lawyers in America for Aviation Law

A. Ilyas Akbari is the Founder and President of KENNEDY WILSHIRE PC. In addition to a trial lawyer, he is also a bioengineer. Ilyas was a Senior Shareholder and Senior Partner at two of the most prestigious law firms in the country prior to starting his own firm. He is an experienced aviation litigator, having worked on over 200 aviation cases since 2005. Ilyas has litigated crashes and incidents involving commercial airlines, charter operations, general aviation aircraft, military aircraft, ...

Doug Bates is an experienced trial lawyer who has been with the firm since 1992. He appears in state and federal courts throughout Indiana and Kentucky and has argued both before the Indiana Court of Appeals and the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Bates regularly defends aviation clients, including airlines, major municipal airports, product manufacturers, aircraft mechanics and fixed base operators, and is often asked to speak at national aviation-related seminars. Mr. Bates also represent...

Tracy Brammeier is no stranger to tort law, having worked as a clerk at the firm for years and then jumping into courtroom work and complex tort cases. In fact, her intelligence and legal acumen have led her to already have worked on some of the biggest lawsuits filed at the firm, led by partners directing the cases. She works closely with partner Kevin P. Durkin handling many transportation accident matters. Tracy has worked on several cases involving bicyclists struck by trucks, a man who s...

Bob Clifford is the founder of Clifford Law Offices, which concentrates its practice in helping victims of personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, mass torts and class actions, consumer and health care fraud, product liability, and aviation and transportation disasters. Bob regularly handles complex damage cases and routinely receives multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. He was named one of America's Top 200 Lawyers in Forbes' inaugural list in 2024. Clifford Law Offic...

Morry S. Cole handles complex litigation. He has served as lead trial and appellate counsel in a wide variety of complicated cases in state and federal courts throughout Missouri and the Midwest. Mr. Cole received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baylor University, specializing in finance. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. While in law school he served as an editor of the Missouri Law Review, a research assistant for Professor Martha...

Scott Cummins is of counsel to Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield, LLP, a California law firm. He is an experienced product liability and insurance bad faith coverage lawyer who has handled several multi-million dollar cases against aircraft and product manufacturers and insurance companies. He successfully sued the manufacturer of a water brake cylinder (a device which stops the ram used to launch aircraft on aircraft carriers) which had seen twenty years of service on the U...

Thomas A. Demetrio is a trial lawyer with an emphasis on medical negligence, product liability, airplane crash and commercial litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. He is Past President of the Chicago Bar Association and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He is a fellow of: The American College of Trial Lawyers The International Academy of Trial Lawyers The Inner Circle of Advocates Tom has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since its inception in 1987 and was named by Best Lawyers as the C...

Kevin Durkin is a partner at Clifford Law Offices. Over a career that spans more than 35 years, Mr. Durkin has successfully represented clients in many practice areas, including: Aviation accident litigation and transportation liability Truck, railroad and automobile litigation Premises liability and negligent security Medical malpractice Mr. Durkin has been named a top-tier attorney by U.S. News-Best Lawyers in the areas of personal injury litigation, aviation law and product liability since...

Stuart Grossman is recognized as one of America’s preeminent trial lawyers concentrating on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, products liability, aviation accidents, and professional negligence, including medical, legal, accounting, and engineering malpractice.His successful career is distinguished by a number of favorable verdicts that are among the largest awarded by Florida juries.Mr. Grossman was named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the American Board of Trial Advocates ...

Bill Harrison's practice is litigation-oriented in the areas of toxic tort, personal injury and insurance defense, including general aviation, litigation, premises liability, automotive and products liability. His defense clients include local and national automotive, aviation, and insurance companies. In addition to his law degree, Bill holds a degree in Respiratory Therapy, which includes instructing at The Charity School of Nursing, Tulane Medical School's Paramedic Program, LSU Medical Sc...

Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, John grew up working in his family’s restaurant and then stayed local attending both Northwestern University (B.A.) and Notre Dame Law School (J.D.). As a first generation Greek American, John witnessed the difficulties that immigrants can experience while adapting to a new culture. He also experienced the importance of community in helping people to assimilate and understand how to become part of that new culture. He is fluent in Greek and has b...

Greg Kugle concentrates his practice in the area of litigation. He works in the areas of commercial disputes and business litigation, construction, land use and real estate, antitrust, product liability and personal injury, aviation, bankruptcy, admiralty and insurance coverage. He has litigated cases before the Hawaii District and Circuit Courts, the Hawaii Bankruptcy Court and United States District Court, and has handled appeals before the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals, the Hawaii S...

Chicago trial attorney Brian LaCien is a founding partner of Smith LaCien LLP. He has a broad range of experience in the areas of medical malpractice, professional negligence, wrongful death, class actions, trucking litigation, product liability, aviation negligence, civil rights violations and premises liability. LaCien and Todd A. Smith, also a founding partner, have a long track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements and o...

With compassion, dedication, and years of aviation litigation experience, Jamie R. Lebovitz has focused his practice on helping families who have lost loved ones in aviation disasters. Jamie is a senior partner at Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy. He practices in the areas of personal injury and wrongful death litigation with a concentration in aviation, railroad, and trucking calamities. Jamie has more than 35 years of experience as a trial attorney, and he has recovered numerous mult...

Timothy A. Loranger is an attorney and senior partner at the national mass disaster law firm of Wisner Baum (formerly Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman). A consumer attorney, pilot, and avid citizen advocate, Tim oversees our cases involving product liability law, aviation, and commercial ground transportation accidents (including truck accidents, train crashes, and military vehicle accidents), and military accidents resulting in catastrophic personal injury or wrongful death. He served as C...

Carol Michel defends clients nationally in high-stakes and catastrophic litigation in State and Federal Courts. Her trials run the gamut from major personal injury and premises liability cases, to aviation crashes and medical malpractice. Carol is considered the "go-to" attorney by clients in emergency situations requiring immediate advice and counsel to protect their interests. In addition, Healthcare and Aviation are two specific areas in which Carol has developed significant experience and...

Jeffrey Morof has spent his career defending aerospace clients in product liability and commercial litigation matters in federal and state courts throughout the United States and abroad, handling matters in such countries as Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Greece, and Japan. He was a member of the trial team that defended the aerospace manufacturer in a 19-month jury trial in Detroit, Michigan arising out of the Northwest Airlines Flight 255 MD-80 accident. He has also litigated lawsuits ar...

Kevin practices in the area of civil litigation, with an emphasis on aviation law, commercial litigation, medical malpractice, product liability, wrongful death and personal injury. Kevin has handled cases for clients in some of the largest lawsuits litigated in Arizona. He represents clients in claims and suits arising out of a variety of issues. Kevin is a trial lawyer with over 25 years of experience before judges, juries and arbitrators. Although he has tried many cases, Kevin focuses on ...

David T. Norton is a partner and head of the aviation practice at the law firm of Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP , in Dallas, Texas. He received his B.A. from the United States Air Force Academy, his M.B.A. from Louisiana Tech University, and his J.D., cum laude , from Southern Methodist University, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Air Law & Commerce , published by the SMU Law Review Association. While his firm offers a broad array of legal services, Mr. Nort...

One of the country’s leading trial attorneys, Brian Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in United States history on behalf of plaintiffs. His courtroom victories include a $4.9 billion verdict in the landmark products liability case Anderson v. General Motors, over 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million in personal injury and wrongful death cases and seven verdicts in excess of $50 million. Mr. Panish consistently serves in a leadership role in ...

John F. Pritchard is a partner in Holland & Knight's New York office and practices on the firm's Structured Finance Team. With more than 25 years of experience in aircraft, equipment and facility finance, Mr. Pritchard is knowledgeable in all areas of asset-based financing and concentrates on the representation of lessees, lessors, lenders, borrowers and government guarantors in domestic and cross-border financings, securitizations, workouts and foreclosures. Mr. Pritchard has given many ...

Anita Porte Robb is a Cum Laude graduate of The University of Michigan Law School. Ms. Robb is a nationally respected advocate. The National Law Journal has recognized Anita as one of the Top Ten women trial lawyers in the country, and Lawyers USA has identified her as one of five " Women of Note " nationwide. Ms. Robb has appeared frequently in the media as a spokesperson for victims’ rights. She has used issues raised in her cases as a springboard for policy debates in courts and the ...

Mr. Robb has obtained numerous record-breaking results on behalf of past clients, including the two highest jury verdicts in U.S. history for helicopter crash wrongful death, $350 million and $70 million , and the largest pre-trial settlement for an injury in a helicopter crash, $100 million which is also the largest pretrial settlement in U.S. history for a single plaintiff in a personal injury case. Mr. Robb is past President of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA). Mr. Robb h...

Mr. Rodgers has always had a client-first mind set. The son of an attorney, Chris learned first-hand what it takes to create the best possible outcomes for those he defends. He witnessed the results of hard work, longer hours, and strategic planning. He learned the value of building quality relationships and the personal reward of advocating for others. When he joined the Lanier Ford law firm in 2019, Mr. Rodgers brought with him the same dedication. He concentrates his practice in the areas ...

Mike Slack focuses on the most challenging and demanding areas of civil litigation, including aviation law and product liability cases against major corporations. A licensed pilot and former NASA aerospace engineer, Mike combines his technical knowledge and skills with his extensive litigation and trial experience for the benefit of his clients. Mike's legal experience includes more than 36 years and litigating hundreds of lawsuits arising from catastrophic injuries and deaths due to unsafe p...

Biography: Todd A. Smith, Founding Partner, Smith LaCien LLP Making Access to Justice a Personal Crusade A native of Evanston, Ill., and with a law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Todd A. Smith, a founding partner with Brian LaCien of Smith LaCien LLP, has practiced law for over 40 years. He has won some of the largest multi-million dollar jury awards and settlements in serious personal injury, product liability, wrongful death, and medical malpractice cases in Illinois. ...

Since 2009, Mark Worischeck has served as the firm's President and Managing Shareholder. Mr. Worischeck has earned Martindale-Hubbell's highest AV® Preeminent™ rating. He has been recognized as one of Arizona's Finest Lawyers and selected to be included in Best Lawyers in America for 2013-2022 for his work in aviation law, commercial and construction litigation, insurance law, insurance litigation, personal injury and product liability litigation. He was also named by Best Lawyers a...