AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2020 - 100

DETAILS

67,000

The number of AOPA members
in the Legal Services Plan.

LEGAL SERVICES PLAN

News & Notes
MEMBERSHIP

You've got a lawyer
AOPA protects your flying life
B Y J U L I E S U M M E R S WA L K E R
YOUR PILOT CERTIFICATES MEAN EVERYTHING TO YOU. The
trusted legal counselors of AOPA's Pilot Protection Services
LEGAL SERVICES PLAN BENEFITS
help protect them. Through the AOPA Legal Services Plan, Pilot
Protection Services assists thousands of members each year
* FAA enforcement actions
with certificate-related legal issues. Led by attorney Jared Allen
Support and representation in matters concerning an
and overseen by General Counsel Justine Harrison, the Legal
FAA action to suspend or revoke your airman certificates
or to assess a civil penalty.
Services Plan team is staffed by five attorneys working alongside three administrative assistants/paralegals. Combined with
* Accidents, alcohol tests, drug tests
Support and representation in matters concerning
AOPA's network of almost 700 panel attorneys throughout the
accidents or incidents where you were a crewmember
United States and Canada, our attorneys can help you navigate
or owner, or if you were asked to take an alcohol
the legal complexities of alleged airspace violations, potential
or drug test.
FAA enforcement actions, runway incursions, U.S. Customs mat* State or local actions
ters, drug- and alcohol-related issues, and more.
Also civil penalty court cases, U.S. Customs, or TSA cases.
The legal services team receives nearly 5,000 calls from
* Aircraft purchase or sales
members each year. These calls can address the legal complexiConsultation with an attorney regarding your purchase of
ties arising from tax matters; FAA enforcement; pilot deviations
an aircraft.
and compliance; accidents and incidents; NTSB reports and
* Tax matters
investigations; and aircraft and hangar document review for
Consultation on matters pertaining to taxes connected
with your flying activities.
leases, purchases, and sales. There are two plans under the
Pilot Protection Services umbrella: Basic and Plus. The Plus
* Documents review and critique
Sales receipts, agreements, and other documentation as it
plan is necessary for any pilot who wants Legal Services Plan
relates to your flying activities.
protection while exercising commercial privileges, but it's also
* Free half-hour consultation with an AOPA panel attorney
the best option for all pilots as it provides more hours with a
panel attorney in the event of a matter covered by the Legal
Services Plan.
"We have a higher
renewal rate with our Plus
MEET JUSTINE HARRISON: AOPA GENERAL COUNSEL
members," said Harrison.
Justine Harrison joined AOPA in 2019 and serves as AOPA's
"And once in the plan,
general counsel and corporate secretary, leading the AOPA legal
members tend to stay in."
department and overseeing AOPA's Legal Services Plan, which
Legal Services Plan
serves more than 67,000 members. Harrison is a commercial pilot
and flies aircraft ranging from an AirCam experimental she costaff are available Monday
built to a Lear 75. Harrison earned her bachelor of science degree
through Friday, 8:30 a.m.
from Cornell University, and her juris doctor from the William
until 6 p.m. (Eastern
S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
time). Call 800-872-2672
Prior to joining AOPA, Harrison ran her own law firm for a decade
after serving as general counsel, senior vice president of external
and press 4 for the Legal
affairs, and corporate secretary of the Nevada Cancer Institute.
Services Plan.
aopa.org/pps
EMAIL julie.walker@aopa.org

100 | AOPA PILOT July 2020

She previously served as a director for the Nevada Cancer
Institute, the Nevada Business Aviation Association, and Angel
Flight West, and as a member of EAA's Legal Advisory Council.

http://www.aopa.org/pps

AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2020