TLA Committees

As a member of TLA, we hope that you will get involved by becoming active in one (or more) of TLA’s committees. Click on the link below to find out more about each committee and how to contact the chair(s) of the committee.

Click here to download committee sign-up form and submit to TLA Executive Office.
Click ​h​ere to go to the Members Only section and revise your committee selections (under “My Membership Overview”).

Practice Division
Subject Area Committees

Modal Committees  

Membership and Administrative Division 

Continuing Legal Education Division

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Practice Division

SUBJECT AREA COMMITTEES

 
Alternative Dispute Resolution
 
Co-Chair: Daniel L. Fulkerson
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, Two Houston Center, 909 Fannin Street, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77002
Phone: (713) 353-2095  E-mail: [email protected] 
 
Co-Chair: Bridgett Blitch
Blitch Westley Barrette, S.C. , 9100 Conroy Windermere Rd Ste 200
Windermere, FL 34786
Phone: (407) 618-4776 E-mail: [email protected]
 

Emeritus Chair: John C. Lane

Law Offices of John C. Lane, 48 Woodport Rd., Ste. 1, Sparta, NJ 07871
Phone: (973) 512-3244 E-mail: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The goal of the Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution is to provide members of the Transportation Lawyers Association continued legal education opportunities and updates of federal and state alternative dispute resolution cases as they effect the transportation industry. In addition, the committee promotes alternative means for members to mediate and arbitrate disputes and provides the membership with a list of certified experienced members who are available to the transportation industry.
 
 
Antitrust and Unfair Trade Practices
 
Co-Chair: Andrew M. Danas
Grove, Jaskiewicz & Cobert – 1025 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 416-0219 E-mail: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair:  Jeremy R. Handschuh
Mitchell-Handschuh Law Group – 3390 Peachtree Rd., NE-Ste. 520, Atlanta, GA  30326
Phone: (404) 262-9488 Email: [email protected]
 

Co-Chair: Jol A. Silversmith
KMA Zuckert, 888 17th St. NW, Washington DC 20006
Phone: (202) 973-7918 E-mail: [email protected]

DESCRIPTION: The mandate of the committee is to develop antitrust topics for the legal education program at the TLA Annual Conference and the Transportation Law Institute, coordinate written articles prepared by committee members for publication in The Transportation Lawyer and solicit information from committee members regarding new legal developments in the antitrust area for dissemination to other members.

Committee on Brokerage, Logistics and E-Commerce

Co-Chair: Jeffrey E. Cox
Law Office of Seaton & Husk, LP2240 Gallows Rd. Vienna, VA 22182
Phone: (703) 573-0700 Email: [email protected]
 

Co-Chair: Matthew C. Koch
Marwedel, Minichello & Reeb, P.C., 303 W. Madison Street, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 902-1600 ext. 5320 Email: [email protected]

DESCRIPTION: The mission of the Committee on Logistics and E-Commerce is to foster interest among the members of TLA in the law and legal decisions affecting transportation logistics and transportation e-commerce; to facilitate the education of the members of TLA concerning the laws and legal decisions affecting transportation logistics and transportation e-commerce; to encourage its members to submit legal articles for publication in The Transportation Lawyer and in The Transportation Law Journal pertaining to transportation logistics and transportation e-commerce; and to encourage its members to make presentations at TLA conferences and seminars and at Transportation Law Institutes pertaining to transportation logistics and transportation e-commerce.

Casualty Litigation

Co-Chair: Jonathan Abramson
SGR, LLC, 3900 East Mexico Avenue, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80210
Phone: (303) 320-0509 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Thomas M. Reardon
Reardon Anderson LLC – 55 Gilbert St., North, Ste. 2204, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701
Phone: (732) 758-8070 Email: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The Casualty Litigation Committee is devoted to sharing information, strategies and breaking developments for the effective defense of accident litigation filed against the transportation industry. Motor carrier liability, insurance coverage, discovery issues and trial tactics are primary areas of focus.
 
Commercial and Business Litigation & Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Committee
 
Chair: Curtis Cornett
Cors & Bassett – PNC Center, 201 E. Fifth St., Ste. 900, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 852-8226 Email: [email protected]
 
Vice Chair: Jeremy R. Handschuh
Mitchell-Handschuh Law Group – 3390 Peachtree Rd., NE-Ste. 520, Atlanta, GA  30326
Phone: (404) 262-9488 Email: [email protected]
 
 Vice Chair: Rick A. Steinberg
Price, Meese, Shulman & D’Arminio, P.C. – 50 Tice Blvd., Suite 380, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677
Phone: (917) 836-7939 Email: [email protected]
 
Emeritus Chair: Scott D. Carey
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C. – 211 Commerce St., Commerce Ctr., Ste. 800, Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: (615) 726-7379 Email: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The Commercial and Business Litigation Committee monitors, reviews and informs the TLA of business and commercial litigation in the transportation sector, including but not limited to transactional litigation, collection matters, coverage issues, demurrage and detention, contract issues and disputes, restrictive covenants and bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. The committee intends to distribute case summaries, participate in regional and annual seminars, and identify resources such as expert witnesses. We encourage active participation in the sharing of case law and experience to enable the committee to keep all members of the TLA fully informed of developments in civil litigation concerning transportation issues.
 
 
Federal Regulations
 
Co-Chair: Henry E. Seaton
Seaton & Husk – 5312 Otter Creek Ct., Brentwood, TN  37027
Phone: (703) 573-0700 E-mail: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Mark J. Andrews
Clark Hill, 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 1300 South, Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 552-2352 Email: [email protected]
 
Vice-Chair: Jameson Rice
Holland & Knight LLP, 50 N. Laura Street, Suite 3900, Jacksonville, FL, 32202
Phone: (904) 798-7371, Email: [email protected]
 

DESCRIPTION:  This committee reviews pending bills relating to the funding of federal transportation regulatory agencies and projects as well as licensing, safety and fitness, and other regulatory statutes affecting carriers and shippers of goods, except for trade security issues; and monitors substantive and procedural developments at federal agencies which affect transportation.  Of particular interest are precedent setting adjudications and rulemakings before the FMCSA, STB, OSHA, FMC and other agencies which affect the operations, duties and obligations of the various transportation modes which TLA members represent.

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Freight Claims

Co-Chair: C. Fredric Marcinak
Moseley Marcinak Law Group LLP, P.O. Box 26148, Greenville, SC 29616
Phone: (864) 248-6027 E-mail: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Beata Shapiro
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker, 260 Franklin St., Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 422-5320 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Emileigh Hubbard
Henry Oddo Austin & Fletcher, P.C., 1717 Main Street, Suite 4600, Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 658-1922 Email: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The focus of TLA’s Freight Claims Committee is to keep its members informed of current developments in freight claim and related issues and litigation for all modes of transportation, so that we may better advise and protect the interests of our clients. We seek to accomplish this goal by encouraging use of our forum for questions and novel issues, preparation and circulation of summaries of relevant decisions, legislative developments, citations and pleadings, in-person round-table discussion of recent cases and developments at our Annual Meeting and at the Transportation Law Institute and through general networking among committee members.
 
International Trade and Transportation
 
Co-Chair: Peter Quinter
Gunster, 600 Brickell Avenue, Suite 3500, Miami, FL  33131
Phone: (305) 376-6016 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Dr. Marco G. Remiorz
ARNECKE SIBETH DABELSTEIN, Grosse Elbstrasse 36, Hamburg, HH 22767
Germany
Phone: 011/49 40 31 77 97 0 E-mail: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The committee’s purpose is to provide information and advice to and a forum for members on international transportation/trade issues: comparative analyses on national laws impacting international transportation issues including taxation, employment, immigration, workers’ compensation, independent and dependent contractors, labor relations, hours of service and drug testing; international customs and trade restrictions affecting global and national transportation industry efficiency, competitiveness and security; and international and national transportation liability regimes.
 
Labor and Human Resources

Co-Chair: Carole McAfee Wallace 
Gardiner Roberts LLP, Bay Adelaide Centre – East Tower, 22 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON, M5H 4E3
Phone: (416) 203-9551 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Steven Stanaszak
Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary, PLC, 330 E. Kilbourn Ave, Ste. 827, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone: (414) 219-8502 Email: [email protected]
 

DESCRIPTION: This committee’s principal purpose is to communicate with TLA members on Labor and Human Resource issues which impact the transportation industry.  To meet this objective committee members will provide timely written updates/articles and present programs to TLA members which deal with employment-related matters.  The committee goals will be met by publishing articles in The Transportation Lawyer and presenting part of the Legal Education Program at the TLA Annual Conference and/or Transportation Law Institute.

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MODAL COMMITTEES 

Admiralty and Maritime Transportation

Chair: Nigah Awj

Borden Ladner Gervais, 9215 Rossini, Brossard, Quebec J4X2R8 Canada
Phone: (514) 663-1151 E-mail: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The Admiralty and Maritime Transportation Committee was created to help the members keep up to date on admiralty and maritime law and developments, especially in relation to other modes of transportation and intermodal transactions, and to attract and service attorneys with interest or partial interest in that area and to encourage them to write articles and notes for The Transportation Lawyer.
 
Aviation
 
Chair: Vacant
 
DESCRIPTION: The Aviation Committee serves three functions: to assist members with questions relating to aviation law; to provide articles and lectures to the membership in a continuing education role; and to be a resource for referrals to experts and counsel with aviation skills throughout the world.
 
 
Motor Carrier Transportation
 
Chair: William Pentecost
Cipriani & Werner, 650 Washington Rd., Ste. 700, Pittsburgh PA 15228
Phone: (412) 996-9920 E-mail: [email protected]
 
Co-Vice Chair: Jaclyne Reive
Miller Thomson LLP- 40 King St. W, #5800, Toronto, ON M5H 3S1
Phone: (416) 595-7935 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Vice Chair: Melissa Thompson Richardson
Richardson Law Group, PLLC, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 900, Lexington, KY 50503
Phone: (859) 219-9090 Email: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The Committee on Motor Carrier Transportation is charged with monitoring the ever-evolving industry of highway transportation for hire. Members maintain an up-to-date and working knowledge of all facets of the industry and are often looked to for their expertise in this specialized area of law. The committee provides a network of practicing attorneys in multiple jurisdictions able to educate and represent clients on issues unique to motor carrier operations.
 
 
Rail Transportation
 
Chair: Eric C. Palombo
Flaster/Greenberg P.C., 100 Front Street, Suite 100, Conshohocken, PA 19428
Phone:(215) 320-3728 Email: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The Committee on Rail Transportation is comprised of TLA members who have an interest in transportation by rail. A purpose of the Rail Transportation Committee is to keep its members abreast of current developments in the rail industry. In addition, the Rail Transportation Committee is committed to educating all TLA members by submitting material for publication in The Transportation Lawyer presenting speakers at TLA’s Annual Conference.
 

MEMBERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION

Constitution and Bylaws

Chair: Mark J. Andrews
Clark Hill, 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 1300 South, Washington, DC 20004

Phone: (202) 552-2352 E-mail: [email protected]

Vice-Chair: Marc S. Blubaugh
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff, LLP, 41 S. High St., Ste. 2600, Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: (614) 223-9382 E-mail: [email protected]

DESCRIPTION: This committee furnishes the Executive Committee with assistance and advice on drafting proposed or approved amendments to the Association’s bylaws and considers and makes recommendations on issues relating to the legal structure and governance of the Association.

Corporate Counsel Membership Representatives (Inside Counsel)
 
Co-Chair: J. Allen Jones
STG Logistics, 5175 Emerald Parkway, Ste. 300, Dublin, OH 43017
Phone: (614) 766-6086 E-mail: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Heather C. Devine
Traffix, 1405 North Service Rd. E, Unit 1, Oakville, ON L6H 1A7
Phone: (312) 585-8969 E-mail: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: TLA’s Corporate Counsel’s main goal is to increase corporate counsel’s active and continuing membership in TLA.  Our members are in-house corporate attorneys for shippers and transportation companies.  Our committee serves as the “home team” for in-house members within TLA’s preponderance of litigator-members.  We strive to facilitate liaisons between our members and appropriately specialized and located transportation firms.  We encourage our members to consult and share with one another best practices and tricks of the in-house trade.  Last but not least, we keep the litigator-members informed as to what we, as in-house counsel, need from our outside counsel.
 
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
 
Chair: Hillary Arrow Booth
Booth LLP, 11835 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 600E, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Phone: (310) 641-1800 Email: [email protected]

DESCRIPTION: The DEI Committee will implement the stated goals of the TLA Diversity Statement, including “seeking out diverse members of the transportation law community, who may not be aware of the benefits of membership, to join and enrich our organization with their professional experience and unique points of view.”  Further, the DEI Committee’s mandate would include actively working with other Committees to ensure that TLA truly supports its diverse members, and that the TLA community embraces the benefits of diversity.
 
 

Memorials/History

Chair: Donald J. Vogel
Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary – 30 W. Monroe St., Ste. 1600, Chicago, IL  60603
Phone: (312) 255-7178 Email:  [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The TLA History and Memorials Committee is the custodian of memories of the organization. Richard Champlin, past president and long time chairman of the committee has written two informal “histories” of the group, the latest version is available on the website.  Included in its mission, the committee is charged with publishing memorials of deceased members in The Transportation Lawyer.   The committee would appreciate being notified of the death of any member preferably not by the decedent.
 
Recruitment and Member Services
 
Chair: Fritz R. Damm
Phone: (313) 910-8929  E-mail: [email protected]
 
Vice Chair: Joelle G. Nelson
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP, 24 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1400, Houston, TX 77046
Phone: (713) 659-6767 E-mail: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The Committee on Recruitment and Member Services is specifically devoted to broadening the base of TLA membership.  The Membership Committee strives to broaden that base both in terms of numerosity and diversity.  The Membership Committee is constantly seeking new members, along with organizational groups with which to liaison, to generate new members.  The Membership and Recruitment Committee continues to urge all members to let us know about any prospects.
 
‎‎International Outreach Committee
 
Co-Chair: Robin Squires 
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, 3400 22 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON, M5H 4E3
Phone: (416) 367-6595 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Elizabeth L. Fashler
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, 520 3 Avenue Southwest 1900,
Calgary, AB, T2P 0R3
Phone: +1 403-232-9559 Email: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this committee is to advocate on behalf of TLA with international lawyers and organizations, including Canada, Mexico, and beyond in order to increase TLA’s profile, strengthen relationships, and increase membership.
 
Student Scholarship Committee
 
Chair:  Bridgette M. Blitch
Blitch Westley S.C., 9100 Conroy Windermere Rd., Ste. 200, Windermere, FL 34786
Phone: (407) 574-2835 Email: [email protected] 
 

Technology/Social Media Committee

Chair: William M. Davis
Bovis, Kyle, Burch & Medlin, LLC 200 Ashford Center North, Suite 500, Atlanta, GA  30338
Phone: (678) 338-3981 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Kristen M. Johnson
Flexport, Inc.
Phone:(202) 286-0722 Email: [email protected]
 

DESCRIPTION: The committee’s goal is to improve communications among TLA members and with the general public through the use of technology through the TLA website in particular.  The committee is responsible for maintaining, updating and expanding the capabilities of the TLA website.  The committee works with the TLA Executive Director, committee chairmen and TLA members to update information that is available on the website, including directories, the Brief Bank, links to other websites, and upcoming education events.  The committee also strives to advise the membership of new sources of information that are available on the Internet, in particular at government and other transportation-related websites.

New and Young Lawyers Committee
 
Chair: Gregory R. Reed
The National Star Route Mail Contractors Association, 8521 Leesburg Pike, Suite 350, Vienna, VA 22182
Phone: (202) 543-1661 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Alexander Karcher
Roetzel & Andress, LPA, 41 South High Street, 21 Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 636-1966 Email: [email protected]
 
DESCRIPTION: This committee is for new members who have been a member of TLA for two (2) years or less and any lawyers who have been practicing in transportation for fifteen (15) years or less. The purpose of this committee is to introduce new and young members to the organization and foster interaction between new/younger members with the veteran/seasoned members through social events and participation on panels, writing articles and in leadership positions in the organization.
 

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION DIVISION

 

2025 Transportation Law Institute (Planning Committee)

Co-Chair: Christina Nugent
Hanson Bridgett LLP, 500 Capitol Mall Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 268-1195 Email:[email protected]

Co-Chair: Timothy S. Groustra
Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C., 120 Kercheval Ave, Suite 200, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236
Phone: (313) 308-2031 Email: [email protected]
 
Faculty Advisor: Beata Shapiro
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, 260 Franklin St., Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 422-5320 Email: [email protected]
 

2026 Regional Seminar and Boot Camp-Chicago (Planning Committee)

Seminar Co-Chair: Madison Romine
Booth LLP, 11835 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 600E, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Phone: (818) 825-8206 Email: [email protected]

Seminar Co-Chair: Jameson Rice
Holland & Knight LLP, 50 N. Laura Street, Suite 3900, Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: ‎(904) 798-7371‎ Email: [email protected]

Seminar Faculty Advisor: Matthew Barrette
Blitch Westley Barrette, S.C., 1550 Spring Road, Unit 120, Oak Brook, IL 60523
Phone: (312) 283-4220 Email: [email protected]
 
Boot Camp Co-Chair: Stevan Baxter
Skoubye Nielson & Johansen, LLC, 999 E. Murray-Holladay Road, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Phone: (801) 365-1030 E–mail: [email protected]

Boot Camp Co-Chair: John Wilcox

Dysart Taylor McMonigle Brumitt & Wilcox, P.C., 700 West 47th Street, Suite 410, Kansas City, MO 64112
Phone: (816) 931-2700 E–mail: [email protected]

2026 Annual Conference (Planning Committee)
 
Co-Chair: Alexander C. Karcher
Roetzel & Andress, LPA, 41 South High Street, 21 Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone:(614) 636-1966 Email: [email protected]
 
Co-Chair: Emileigh Hubbard
Henry Oddo Austin & Fletcher, P.C., 1717 Main Street, Suite 4600, Dallas, TX 75201

Phone: ‎(214) 658-1922 ‎ Email: [email protected]

Faculty Advisor: Jeffrey Simmons
McGriff Insurance Solutions, Phoenix, AZ
Phone: (602) 402-8490 Email: [email protected]
 
Committee on Webinars
 
Chair: Stephen Dennis
Clark Hill, 2301 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78215

Phone: (210) 250-6011 Email: [email protected]

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