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Transportation Practice

Alston & Bird has one of the leading U.S. domestic and international hazardous materials practices in the country. Domestically, we counsel carriers, shippers and transportation intermediaries, such as freight forwarders and customs brokers, on their obligations under the federal Hazardous Materials Regulations, as well as state and local regulations affecting the transportation of hazardous materials. We defend companies in civil enforcement actions brought by the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s most aggressive enforcer of the federal Hazardous Materials Regulations, and in criminal enforcement actions before state and federal transportation authorities. Our expertise also extends to helping our clients develop threat assessments related to the transport of hazardous materials and legal issues associated with the deployment of security systems to detect cargo that is illicit or undeclared. We provide our clients with regulatory, compliance and transactional assistance in matters involving the foreign domestic and international transport of dangerous goods by road, air and sea. This includes requirements arising under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, the International Air Transport Association’s Dangerous Goods Regulations, the European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code and foreign domestic laws and regulations.