The aviation industry has experienced many areas of dispute in recent years, arising from for example international treaties such as The Warsaw Convention and the Cape Town Convention.
The international element of most disputes makes them ripe for mediation since mediation can ‘float’ over a raft of litigation in different countries between multiple parties. Mediation can provide a ‘one shop stop’ for complex situations.
The paucity of businesses engaged in aviation around the world makes the existence of ‘competimates’ a growing phenomenom, and with it the consequent need to reach commercial compromises rather than litigating. Mediation can help to preserve relationships and enable commercial activity to continue, This is an important outcome when high value, time pressured contracts are at stake.
Examples of where disputes arise are:
- Aircraft design and manufacture, assembly, sale and maintenance contracts
- Finance and leasing of aircraft
- Flight safety, air accident investigation
- Research and Development
- Joint Ventures
- Competition law
- Consumer redress and product liability
- Human resources and pilot training
I have extensive experience in the aviation industry having trained as a solicitor at Richards Butler (now Reed Smith), a law firm specialising in this area. Subsequently I have delivered bespoke in house training to businesses involved in the manufacture of aircraft and component parts.
I also wrote and delivered to Clyde & Co trainee solicitors the Shipping, Aircraft, International Trade and Arbitration module at Kaplan Law School.
For a recent article on the Cape Town Convention, see here.
