Job Description

This opportunity is eligible for remote work.

Job Summary:

AOPA is seeking to add an attorney with experience in FAA compliance and enforcement, aircraft transactions, and aviation tax matters to the association's in-house legal team to support the AOPA Legal Services Plan. The ideal candidate has a strong interest in aviation and experience with aircraft transactions and leases; hangar and ground leases; sales and use tax; and FAA, DOT, and IRS compliance and litigation.

The AOPA Legal Services Plan is a pre-paid legal services plan that provides consultation and representation benefits to participating AOPA members in the event of an aviation-related legal matter, such as an FAA enforcement action against an airman certificate, an aircraft accident, or the purchase or sale of an aircraft. The in-house legal team provides “legal triage” for these members, typically providing an initial consultation by telephone. If further representation is appropriate, then the member may retain an attorney from the Plan’s network of over 600 panel attorneys or use Plan benefits toward payment for any non-panel attorney.

Responsibilities:

Provide legal services to AOPA Legal Services Plan (LSP) participants, including initial consultations (primarily via telephone), concerning aviation-related legal matters covered by the LSP.

These aviation-related matters include but are not limited to: FAA actions to suspend or revoke FAA issued certificates; FAA civil penalties; aircraft accidents; aircraft transactions and leases; hangar and ground leases; sales and use tax; and FAA, DOT, and IRS compliance and litigation.

Provide advice and guidance to AOPA staff and LSP panel attorneys in support of operation of the LSP, including but not limited to responding to inquiries from LSP panel attorneys concerning aviation law, preparing aviation-related legal articles and materials for publication in AOPA media, and preparing and conducting educational seminars.

Conduct legal research, analyze legal issues, and provide legal advice in support of the LSP and AOPA’s General Counsel in matters such as the operation of a legal services plan, aviation-related state and federal laws, regulations, and policies, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and aviation-related litigation in state and federal courts.

Represent AOPA and the LSP by occasionally traveling to AOPA regional Fly-Ins and other aviation or law-related events.

Education & Experience:

A JD is required from a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
Minimum 3 years of relevant legal experience.
Currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. Although not required, admission to the Maryland Bar is preferred.
Possesses superb verbal and written communication skills and excels at the client consultation process.
The ideal candidate holds an FAA issued pilot certificate or has a background in aviation.

This job was posted on Wed Mar 27 2024 and expired on Wed Apr 10 2024.

Minimum $120K /yr

$133K /yr Average

Maximum $146K /yr

Tasks

Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.

Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.

Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial.

Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.

Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.

Represent clients in court or before government agencies.

Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.

Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.

Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.

Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.

Supervise legal assistants.

Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.

Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.

Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions, by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.

Prepare legal briefs and opinions, and file appeals in state and federal courts of appeal.

Search for and examine public and other legal records to write opinions or establish ownership.

Confer with colleagues with specialties in appropriate areas of legal issue to establish and verify bases for legal proceedings.

Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law.

Work in environmental law, representing public interest groups, waste disposal companies, or construction firms in their dealings with state and federal agencies.

Probate wills and represent and advise executors and administrators of estates.

Act as agent, trustee, guardian, or executor for businesses or individuals.

Help develop federal and state programs, draft and interpret laws and legislation, and establish enforcement procedures.

Skills

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Knowledge

Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.