North, Pursell, Ramos & Jameson, PLC

Many attorneys talk the talk, but not many can say they’ve actually walked the walk of their clients. One firm that can, however, is Nashville, Tennessee-based North, Pursell, Ramos & Jameson, PLC (NPRJ), where three of the firm’s members— Phillip North, Edward A. Hadley and Brent Kinney—are experienced pilots.

Nearly 25 percent of NPRJ’s practice involves aviation-related matters, and Hadley explains that “Knowing the language of aviation and the regulatory framework are the biggest advantages. On the pilot side, it’s virtually impossible to defend a pilot who crashed a plane if you don’t understand certain aspects of piloting an aircraft, like stall speed and configuration; the plane’s operating parameters; and the real-time demands on a pilot in a given set of circumstances.

Actually, the firm uses a six-seat Piper Navajo Chieftain for most of its business trips. NPRJ, along with its any of its clients, can fly to any portion of Tennessee in less than an hour, having access to airports that most commercial airlines cannot. As a result, clients save time and money by not having to go through commercial airport delays.

As a multi-engine instrument-rated pilot, North typically flies a few hundred hours a year for client matters. When not on business, he’s a volunteer pilot for Angel Flights America—a company that arranges free air travel for medical patients who can’t afford or otherwise obtain a flight—and also serves as a volunteer pilot and legal officer in the Civil Air Patrol. He’s even been awarded the “Commander’s Commendation Award for Outstanding Duty Performance” in 2005 as a legal officer for the Tennessee Wing.

Hadley is a member of the Lawyer Pilots Bar Association, as well as a panel attorney for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s (AOPA) legal services program. And NPRJ’s newest member, Kinney, is a former airline pilot who holds a commercial pilot, ATP and instructor ratings.

In addition to handling aircraft accident cases, North, Hadley and Kinney manage an abundance of legal demands in GA. Each represents aviators in FAA enforcement actions, FBOs, and also aid airport facility users and owners. Furthermore, NPRJ creates legal entities to acquire and hold titles to aircraft, and even provide consultations on the complex and frequently conflicting regulations of the IRS, FAA and insurance industry.

Interestingly enough, the firm says it’s seen a surge in medical certificate issues for pilots, and with their experience in other areas of law—including medical malpractice defense—this too makes for a significant advantage in tackling such cases.

“It gives us access to expert physicians,” Hadley says. “I’ve picked up a lot of medical terminology over the years while defending doctors, so we know how to locate medical records, where to find information within them and interpret what the information means.”

There’s no doubt, this practice displays extensive versatility in its field, and with personal backgrounds in aviation, NPRJ is a solution worth considering for all your legal aviation issues.

For more information, call (615) 255-2555.