Encompassing the automotive, aviation, rail and shipping sub-sectors, the transportation industry literally keeps global and domestic economies—including people and products—moving. The globalization of business effected by recent trade treaties and agreements has translated to more people traveling worldwide for business, as well as growth for companies in the shipping sub-sector, as manufacturers around the world gain access to new markets, and seek to farm out management of their various and widespread supply chains. Closer to home, longer work commutes and expanding urban areas have made the passenger transport industry a steady vehicle for growth.

Drawing on our Corporate, Litigation/Regulatory, Business Finance & Restructuring Departments, Weil’s experience handling matters on behalf of transportation industry clients is as wide-ranging as the various faces of the transportation industry itself. Additionally, the firm is experienced in a wide range of aviation transactions, both cross-border and regional, including assisting airlines, financiers, lessors, lessees, arrangers and manufacturers with transactions relating to the sale, purchasing and leveraged leasing of commercial aircraft.

For companies involved in the automotive sub-sector, attorneys from our Product Liability practice have provided counseling and litigated cases concerning various product safety and product liability issues. For example, we have handled high-stakes automotive design liability and product defect cases on behalf of one of the largest American auto manufacturers, in some of the most challenging jurisdictions in the US. Our patent litigators have defended patents for some of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world. And when one of the major players in the business needed to restructure, they called on Weil.

We have provided counseling on a wide variety of matters for various companies involved the railroad industry, including negotiating financing issues with private equity and venture capital groups, as well as restructuring issues for rail companies facing change in their business. We have also handled antitrust and corporate governance issues for railroad and automotive companies, especially in the context of mergers and acquisitions. Our employment lawyers have extensive experience working with heavily unionized industries, including handling collective bargaining for ongoing businesses, in purchase and sale transactions and in the bankruptcy setting with extensive experience under the Railway Labor Act.