Kaplan Kirsch’s airport law practice is the oldest and largest dedicated airport law practice in the country. It is characterized by a comprehensive, creative, and strategic approach that comes from a deep understanding of the airport industry and from experience at more than 300 airports—from the largest fortress hubs in the world to small general aviation airports. Our airport law practice is recognized by Chambers and Partners, Best Lawyers in America®, and Super Lawyers®.
Operating an airport today is like running a small (or sometimes large) city, a complex business, and a sophisticated political machine, all at once. Airports face mounting pressure on air service, congestion, security, competition, and finances. They must also address competing needs to generate revenue while keeping their rates and charges competitive, remain sensitive neighbors, and contribute to the economic development of their communities. These demands are challenging for any enterprise; in a highly regulated government-operated industry, the burden on airports can be considerable.
Airport law does not respect the boundaries of traditional legal disciplines. Solving the problems presented by airport operation and development often implicates a panoply of legal issues, including compliance with federal obligations; land use, noise, and environmental concerns; collateral commercial development; public finance; national security; and day-to-day legal issues connected with operating what are large businesses serving as public utilities. We provide a wide range of creative legal services to address these problems in their larger context. We collectively have hundreds of years of experience advising more than 300 airports in a breadth of issues.