The attorneys in the Washington, D.C. office have developed a broad-based and highly specialized Federal administrative law practice. That practice involves both the counseling of clients on regulatory compliance matters and negotiation and litigation of disputes. It also encompasses representation before Congress and administrative agencies. In addition, the Washington office has a broad civil litigation practice in federal and state courts.

Litigation Practice

Attorneys in the Washington office have a nationwide practice in complex civil litigation, including business torts, insurance coverage, contract disputes, agency disputes and bad faith cases, as well as defense of toxic torts, HIV blood transfusion litigation, asbestos, product liability and medical malpractice. They provide litigation representation, advice and counsel to both large and small companies and represent clients in various state and federal courts throughout the country and in arbitrations and mediations. Their experience includes defending a major trade association in HIV blood transfusion cases; representing the second largest elevator company in the world in product liability matters; representing insurance companies in connection with coverage opinions, contractual claims, bad faith and fraud claims; defending asbestos exposure cases and providing litigation avoidance advice.

Aviation

The Washington, D.C. office of Eckert Seamans currently represents numerous international airlines before the U.S. Departments of Transportation, State and Justice as well as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Homeland Security. Eckert Seamans’ Aviation attorneys have addressed, at one time or another, every conceivable legal issue facing foreign air carriers operating to the United States.

Our Aviation attorneys have litigated at trial numerous aviation cases on behalf of airlines, primarily in Washington, D.C. but also in federal courts throughout the United States, and defended airlines in international arbitration proceedings. They have published numerous articles and lectured widely on the various liability regimes governing international airline travel such as the Montreal Convention and the Warsaw Convention and defended airlines at trial in cases governed by these liability regimes.

Product Safety

Firm attorneys in Washington, D.C. have a broad practice in the areas of product safety regulation and counseling. They represent product manufacturers and distributors in investigations and enforcement actions by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Coast Guard, and other federal agencies including the National Transportation Safety Board. They counsel clients on development of voluntary standards and product warning labels, compliance with mandatory standards and hazard reporting requirements, as well as related product liability considerations. They are experienced in reporting product recalls and negotiating for agency approval of corrective action programs. They also represent clients with respect to agency release of company-related documents in response to FOIA requests.

Environmental Law

Attorneys in the Washington, D.C. office represent manufacturers and trade associations in regulatory proceedings and litigation involving environmental access restrictions for recreational products. Their work has included litigation and claims under CERCLA, as well as advising commercial property owners on issues concerning environmental contamination. They represent clients in EPA rulemaking to control emissions from non-road engines, and have experience in other regulatory and permit proceedings under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. They also have experience under the Toxic Substances Control Act, including the adoption of test rules, enforcement proceedings and compliance counseling. They have advised clients on hazardous waste compliance issues under RCRA as well as on compliance with asbestos-in-buildings regulations. In addition, attorneys in the office counsel clients on implementation of environmental auditing programs and due diligence environmental reviews.

OSHA

The firm's attorneys have substantial experience representing clients in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rulemakings and hearings, challenging OSHA standards in court, defending employers in OSHA enforcement proceedings, and counseling employers on OSHA compliance and employee right-to-know issues.

Labor and Employment Law

Attorneys in the office practice in all areas of labor-management relations, including unfair labor practice litigation, defending employers before the NLRB and courts, and advising employers in avoiding the commission of unfair labor practices. They represent large and small employers in opposing union organization attempts and litigating representation cases before the NLRB. They advise clients on grievance matters arising from collective bargaining agreements and handle arbitration proceedings and federal court suits alleging breach of collective bargaining contracts. They are also experienced in employment discrimination, wrongful discharge and other species of non-union-related employment litigation and preventive counseling, including counseling and defending employers in regard to state and federal anti-discrimination statutes, the Family Medical Leave Act and the WARN Act.

Utilities and Telecommunications

Attorneys in the Utilities and Telecommunications practice group represent major telecommunications, energy, and water utility companies before state and federal regulatory agencies and provide legal advice with respect to other aspects of clients’ business activities. With acknowledged competency in the field, the firm’s utility regulation lawyers are closely involved in the restructuring of the telecommunications, natural gas, and electric industries. Additionally, the group is highly experienced in compliance and licensing issues involving all types of regulated companies – from water utilities, telecommunications, natural gas, and electric competitive suppliers to transportation companies.
Since its formation in 1958, Eckert Seamans has been recognized as a results-oriented firm that offers innovative and creative solutions to clients' problems. The attorneys in the firm's Washington, D.C. office reflect the firm's resourcefulness and its commitment to meet the challenges presented by clients in a timely and efficient manner, and utilizes the talents of more than 320 Eckert Seamans attorneys resident in offices throughout the eastern United States.

Immigration

Attorneys in the Washington, D.C. office provide specialty services in the field of immigration law with a focus on employment-related issues. The Immigration Group assists employers with structuring hiring programs and managing immigration matters, including large caseloads, in order to enable employers to compete more effectively in the global marketplace for the best professional talent. We help employers maneuver through complex and nuanced immigration laws and regulations, and navigate through the multitude of procedures of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Labor, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in connection with the employment of foreign individuals. In addition, we assist employers with I-9 and related compliance matters, including employer verification policies, I-9 related policies and procedures, in-house training sessions and internal audits; provide counsel and defense to businesses involved in government audits and raids; and we regularly perform immigration-related due diligence for merger and acquisition matters.

Intellectual Property

The Firm has a well established Intellectual Property Group that engages in the full spectrum of practice in this specialized area of the law, including United States and foreign patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition law, and the negotiation, preparation and enforcement of a wide variety of related agreements including license, assignment, consulting, employment, nondisclosure and joint venture agreements, as well as college and university intellectual property policies.

Eckert Seamans’ intellectual property attorneys have substantial experience in advertising, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, franchising, retail, publishing, arts, sports and entertainment law, as well as in providing general counsel. Members of the group practice in many forums, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office, foreign patent offices and their appellate boards, state and federal courts throughout the country, the United States Department of Energy and the International Trade Commission. Members of the group also protect our clients’ intellectual property through developing policy strategies, advocating in the Legislative and Executive Branches, and drawing on relationships with key government officials in the Office of the White House Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and other agencies with jurisdiction over intellectual property protection and enforcement.

Bankruptcy

Our attorneys have extensive experience in the representation of public and private clients, including secured and unsecured creditors, trustees, title insurers, issuers of surety bonds, creditors committees, debtors, purchasers of assets, landlords, executive employees and others in troubled company turnarounds, loan workouts, collections and bankruptcy proceedings. The firm is also proficient in representing such parties involved with restructurings in a non-bankruptcy setting, and has been recognized as a top law firm for bankruptcy/restructuring in Chambers USA’s America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

We have the experience and knowledge to handle virtually any kind of bankruptcy or restructuring matter. We represent lenders and other creditors in debtor-in-possession financings, the purchase of debt and asset acquisitions from distressed entities and credit and business restructurings. An important part of our practice is structuring credit arrangements, acquisitions and other transactions to minimize the risks of bankruptcy, proposing and analyzing operational alternatives and advising clients of their remedies in bankruptcy, litigation and out-of-court matters.