Transportation
Our multimodal Transportation practice works with theworld’s leading transportation companies to solve theindustry’s most complex regulatory and businessissues, across all modes, around the globe. Our team
combines top-tier aviation and surface transportation
practices with extensive transportation experience ineach of the world’s major markets.
We are at the forefront of regulatory and emerging
technology issues and represent companies from alltransportation modes—including automotive, aviation,drones, trucking, rail, and maritime shipping—before
all the relevant federal regulatory agencies, with anemphasis on:
Safety, environmental, and other regulation oftransportation industry manufacturers, including:Federal vehicle and motor carrier safety
requirements and investigations by the National
Highway Transportation Agency (NHTSA) and theFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Environmental regulation of vehicles and engines by
U.S. and California authorities (EPA and the California
Air Resources Board CARB)
Safety regulation of rail car manufacturers by theFederal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Pipelineand Hazardous Materials Safety Administration(PHMSA)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) andDepartment of Transportation (DOT) regulation ofmanned aircraft and drone manufacturers

Key contacts
Joanne Rotondi,
Washington, D.C.

Areas of focus
Automotive Regulatory
Aviation Manufacturers and Repair
Facilities
Class Actions and Group Litigation
Clean Air
Connected Cars
DoT and FAA Regulatory
Government Investigations
Infrastructure and Equipment
Product Compliance
Product Litigation
RailTransportation Safety
Transportation, Utilities, and Public
SafetyRail Finance
Aviation FinanceHydrogen
Aviation Litigation

Autonomous vehicle regulation by federal and stateauthorities
Regulation related to transportation infrastructure
projects (e.g., environmental and historicpreservation reviews and approvals by U.S.
transportation authorities including DOT, Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA), FAA, and PHMSA;
transportation agency participation in public-private
partnership (P3) projects; federal grants; FAA noiseand environmental requirements; Maritime
Administration (MARAD)/Coast Guard (USCG)
licensing of port projects, etc.).
Economic and safety regulation of transportation
operators and facilities including: accident
investigations by the FAA, National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB), FRA, and NHTSA; Surface
Transportation Board (STB) economic regulation ofrail operations; FRA and PHMSA regulation of rail car
owners and shippers; FAA regulation of airlines andairports, and commercial drone operators.

Representative experience
Advising companies on cutting-edge issues related toautonomous driving, including state and federal
regulatory developments, incident investigations, andtreatment of emerging technologies.
Representing several auto manufacturers involved in
the Takata airbag safety crisis, filing required reports,
providing regulatory counsel, consulting with NHTSA
officials, and negotiating recall parameters.
Assisted CNN to secure the first-ever FAA waiver tolegally fly UAS (drones) in the U.S. for news gatheringand reporting activities over people.
Advising a leading automotive manufacturer regarding
exports of automobiles to Cuba and establishing
operations on the island.

Related practices
Aviation
Environment and Natural Resources
Government Relations and Public
Affairs
Infrastructure, Energy, Resources,and Projects
Space and Satellite
Uncrewed Aircraft Systems
Asset Finance
Products Law
Strategic Operations, Agreements
and Regulation

Related sectors
Aerospace and Defense
Automotive and Mobility
Manufacturing and IndustrialsTechnology and Telecoms
Transportation and Logistics

Advised Aeromexico in connection with negotiations ofa joint-venture alliance agreement with Delta Air Lines,and obtaining approval and the grant of antitrust
immunity for the joint venture.
Representing the Association of American Railroads inefforts to deploy Positive Train Control.
Coordinating defense of a car shipping sector player in
an international cartel investigation involving the EU,U.S., Japan, Canada, and other jurisdictions.
Spearheaded Carnival Cruise’s Cuba ecotourism
initiative and obtained ground-breaking licenses fromOFAC and BIS for operating vessels in Cuba.

Awards and rankings
Band 1 for Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory —Nationwide, Chambers USA, 2016-2024
Band 1 in Transportation: Road (Automotive),
Chambers USA, 2008-2024
Practice Group of the Year, Transportation, Law360,
2019-2020
Tier 1 for Transport: Rail and Road – Litigation andRegulation, Legal 500 US, 2018-2021
Tier 1 for Transport: Aviation and Air Travel –Litigation and Regulation, Legal 500 US, 2017-2021
Band 3 in Transportation: Rail (for Railroads),
Chambers USA, 2021
Technology Law Trailblazer, The National Law
Journal, 2019

Latest thinking and events
NewsU.S. proposal prohibits imports, sales of connectedvehicles and systems with China or Russia nexus
NewsRepairing the supply chain
Sponsorships and Speaking Engagements
Airline Economics Growth Frontiers Dubai

Insights and Analysis
FDI - Spanish Government blocks takeover bid forrailway equipment manufacturer by a EU investor
News
Sustainable products as the norm: the EU Ecodesign for
Sustainable Products Regulation effective now
News
Sustainable products as the norm: the EU Ecodesign for
Sustainable Products Regulation effective now