Conner & Winters provides a full range of legal services tailored to the transportation and logistics industry.  We represent some of the nation’s largest motor carrier companies as well as many other transportation businesses.  The firm’s attorneys regularly represent clients engaged in trucking, warehousing, freight forwarding, equipment rental and the intermodal transfer of goods.  Our aviation practice group attorneys also represent air carriers and other aviation business concerns.

Partnering with the trucking industry

Conner & Winters is affiliated with key trucking associations and select trial attorneys with comprehensive trucking and transportation experience throughout the country.  Our affiliations include the Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA) and the Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA).  We are committed to remaining fully engaged with the trucking industry.  In this way, we are able to provide state-of-the art representation to our transportation industry clients and can help to shape the legal requirements that affect the industry.

Serving clients through our rapid response team

Our transportation and logistics litigation attorneys recognize the critical importance of an immediate response to transportation accidents.  To serve our clients, Conner & Winters has established a Rapid Response Team.  Our Rapid Response Team is available on short notice to respond to transportation emergencies.  The team includes field adjusters, accident reconstructionists, defense attorneys, and experts who are knowledgeable, experienced and respected members of their fields.  Attorneys who are team members are available 24/7 to help manage the legal aspects of an accident response.  Working together, our Rapid Response Team provides excellent legal services tailored to the needs of the motor carrier client.

Defending clients in litigation

Conner & Winters has extensive experience representing trucking companies, airlines and insurers in the defense of personal injury claims arising out of accidents, including catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims.  Clients also retain us in diverse types of litigation such as disputes between sales agents and motor carriers, defense of preference claims brought against carriers in shipper bankruptcy and business reorganization proceedings, and litigation of claims for breach of non-competition and trade secret agreements.  We also represent clients in the resolution of environmental issues arising from fueling and maintenance facilities or the storage of hazardous material.  Our attorneys are also well-versed in advising and defending surface carriers and other clients in whistleblower cases arising under the Surface Transportation Assistance Act and other specialized transportation laws.

Advising on regulatory compliance

A substantial portion of our transportation practice involves advising clients on a wide range of regulatory compliance matters.  Our attorneys routinely advise clients on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations and updates.  We provide advice to motor carriers and airlines on issues such as:

• Drug and alcohol testing
• Driver and pilot duty hours and rest periods
• Safety regulations
• Licensing requirements
• “Truth in leasing” regulations
• Drafting safety manuals and employee handbooks

We also appear before federal and state regulatory agencies including the FMCSA, FAA, OSHA, on behalf of our clients.

Providing comprehensive legal services

Our attorneys combine training and experience in various areas of the law with intricate knowledge of the regulatory and business challenges that transportation industry clients face.  Our transportation and logistics practice area attorneys also work closely with attorneys in other substantive practices areas.

Our transportation industry clients routinely call on Conner & Winters for representation in banking and finance and corporate and securities matters, including:

• Negotiating and reviewing leases for warehouse and terminal facilities
• Auditing lease agreements and procedures utilized by motor carriers to contract and manage their owner-operator fleets
• Drafting transportation agreements, equipment leases, and employment contracts
• Advising clients regarding the acquisition and financing of aircraft, trucks, trailers, and related equipment

The attorneys at Conner & Winters bring experience and knowledge as counsel on labor and employment matters and employee benefits for employers in the transportation industry.  We represent companies in wage and hour matters, worker/independent contractor classification issues, arbitrations, unfair labor practices, employment litigation, and defending class actions.  We are also actively engaged in the negotiation of labor agreements covering collective bargaining units comprising truckers, mechanics and warehousemen.  We also regularly advise our transportation and logistics clients on other diverse matters, including tax and real estate.