Transport Lawyers | DLA Piper

Solutions at your speed

A sweeping push for sustainability and accelerating globalization are redefining transportation, and businesses across the sector are challenged by the regulatory pressures that go with it. From aviation and shipping to high-speed rail projects and smart city developments including EV networks – we deliver solutions to your most pressing challenges and needs.

We know the transportation sector inside and out. Working with all types of industry stakeholders worldwide gives us deep insight into the inner workings of the entire value chain. We apply this perspective and our forward-looking industry insights to anticipate evolving sector demands.

Whether driving growth through strategic transactions or mitigating regulatory risk associated with transportation infrastructure development, we advise public and private sector clients in all modes of transport. Our multi-disciplinary team helps facilitate high-profile national and multinational projects and other transactions that unlock opportunities and generate real global impact.

“Whatever the challenge, we can mobilize the right team fast.”

When disputes arise, our experience in courts and before arbitration panels provides peace of mind. With specialist transportation lawyers on the ground in 40 countries, we work side-by-side with debt and equity funders, consortia, authorities, suppliers, regulators and operators worldwide to fund, build, operate, buy and sell infrastructure and transport assets and deliver successful projects, transactions and initiatives. Our powerful global platform combines our international reach and legal know-how with our vital local knowledge. Whatever the challenge, we can mobilize the right team fast.

Awards and recognition

Experience

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Acting for China Railway Tunnel Group in their successful tenders for three tunnel projects on the Stockholm Metro.
Advising on all aspects of the VIA Rail High Frequency Rail Project, Ontario/Quebec, including regulatory and other legal considerations relevant for assessing alignment options and technology solutions, interfacing with third parties and other stakeholders, potential and preferable procurement models, including consideration of operational models, interface with existing intercity services, rolling stock and operational arrangements.
Advising East West Rail on the development consent order for a new railway line between Bedford and Cambridge forming part of a new rail link between Cambridge and Oxford utilizing new and existing rail lines.
Advising on Crossrail, including project funding arrangements, access regulatory issues relating to interface with the Heathrow rail spur and Crossrail services and interfaces with Transport for London the local government co-sponsor.
Advising the UK Department for Transport on the circa GBP1.6 billion Thameslink Rolling Stock Project and Agility on the > GBP8 billion Intercity Express Project, both PPP projects within a complex rail regulatory environment.
Advising SNCB on the application of new EU access rules and interface with access regulators for international services (between France and Belgium) and interface between public service obligations and open access services.

Advising the Welsh Ministers on their A465 Mutual Investment Model (MIM) road project for the dualling of Sections 5 and 6 of the A465. MIM is a distinct form of PPP used in Wales. The A465 is a key piece of infrastructure for Wales and will bring investment to some of the poorest communities in the country.
Advising Webuild S.p.A, CPB Contractors Pty Ltd; GS Engineering and Construction Pty Ltd; and China Construction Oceania Pty Ltd, as the Design & Construction Contractor forming part of the Spark Consortium, on successfully reaching financial close on the AUD11.1 billion North East Link Primary Package PPP. This is the largest PPP in Australia.
Advising a consortium including Mytilineos S.A. in Greece with respect to the implementation of nationwide free flow electronic toll collection on Greek motorway network
Advising Halton Borough Council on the procurement of the Mersey Gateway Bridge, a major PPP scheme involving the design, build, financing, operation and maintenance of a new crossing over the River Mersey. The private sector will also provide tolling and demand management services.
Advising Nedbank in relation to a sovereign loan to be provided to the Ministry of Finance of Angola for a roads infrastructure project in Angola.
Advising Sodexo in connection with a public tender launched by Autoroute du Maroc, a state-owned entity in charge of the development of Morocco’s highway network, for externalizing its facility management activities for a ten-year period and for a total amount of EUR300 million.

Advising Virgin Atlantic on various engine and aircraft maintenance, sale and lease and sale and purchase contracts relating to Airbus aircraft.
Representing creditors of the airline SAS in Sweden, Norway and Denmark in connection with ongoing Chapter 11 proceedings in the US bankruptcy court in New York.
Advising UK airline Flybe on aircraft leases and the start of its new operations, as part of Flybe’s recent launch and start of flying from Birmingham, UK and Belfast, Northern Ireland. We also assisted with finalizing commercial agreements, GDPR compliance, employment matters, tax law, intellectual property issues and general corporate advice.
Representing ground handler, PT JAS, and its insurers in relation to an accident on 4 April 2016 involving a Batik Air Boeing 737-800 which collided on the runway with a Transnusa Aviation ATR-42-600 aircraft which was under tow by PT JAS at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Jakarta, causing extensive damage to both aircraft.
Advising International Airlines Group (IAG) on airframe and engine manufacturer purchase contracts worth up to USD18.6 billion in respect of fixed and option Boeing 777x aircraft.
Advising Northrop Grumman on a business-critical aviation investigation. This involved reviewing third party due diligence and carrying out follow-on assessments. To date, we have been involved in over 18 different due diligence reviews, with each third party providing different services or products in the defense sector in a multitude of jurisdictions.
Advising Netjets Inc. on its proposed UK operations and regulatory concerns and assisting Netjets Inc in acquiring a UK Air Operator Certificate and operating license. We have provided regulatory, corporate, and tax advice in respect of restructuring Netjets’ UK operations to remain compliant with UK ownership and control requirements. We have also led numerous discussions with the UK CAA to discuss Netjets’ proposed structure and lobby them to certify that our arrangements will satisfy domestic regulations after the end of the implementation period.
Advising easyJet in respect of potential regulatory disputes concerning its ground handling operations across its global operations.
Advising Virgin Atlantic against third party airlines and lessors, as well as the Cypriot Government, the UK Government, and other third parties, in respect of the recovery of airport landing and take-off slots at London Heathrow. This involved preparing no less than four injunctions, three applications, and a potential judicial review across multiple jurisdictions in less than two months.

Acting for Petronas in a highly publicized dispute between Berlian Laju Tankers and Schlumberger relating to the alleged smuggling of cargo into the Port of Rayong Thailand. DLA Piper is defending a Commercial Court action brought by Berlian Laju Tankers in excess of USD7 million for damages for delay to the Vessel arising from the Thai Customs Authority detention of the Vessel for a period of 6 months in order to investigate the non-declaration by the Vessel of arrival in Thailand.
Acting for a PRC-based casualty insurance provider in support of the PRC court proceedings. The dispute concerns the interpretation of a towage contract entered into between the client and a salvage company owned by the Ministry of Transport of the PRC.
Advising the leasing arm of a PRC bank in connection with USD600 million acquisition finance and charter arrangements of 10 newbuilds for a leading European shipping company.
Advising FMO on the financing of a shipyard in Djibouti
Advising Tarmac in relation to its agreement with Forth Ports for the creation of the UK’s largest construction materials terminal at the new T2 facility at the Port of Tilbury.
Advising DEME Group in relation to a EUR310 million modernization project of Swinoujscie-Szczecin fairway, the EUR2.7 billion Central Sea Port of Gdansk project and the EUR787 million Outer Port Project in the Port of Gdynia in Poland.
Advising on obtaining a merger clearance to establish a joint venture together with APM Terminals (Netherlands) and Shanghai International Port (China) over APM Terminals Zeebrugge (Belgium).
Advising the state-owned port operator in Namibia on the development, construction and financing of the expansion of the Port of Walvis Bay commercial container terminal.
Advising Veolia Transport on the acquisition of Shuttle Port Holdings LLC, the US-based transport operator.