Transportation Law

For many years, MP&M's experienced attorneys have represented large and small motor carriers (common, contract, and private), property brokers, and shippers. Our goal is to achieve success for our clients as quickly and economically as possible. We render practical legal advice based on a sound analysis combined with common sense, years of experience, and contacts throughout the industry and with the different regulatory agencies involved. We work closely with our carrier clients and maintain a high level of personal contact and availability.

Among our special fields of experience are:

• Compliance: work with federal and state Department of Transportation Agencies on safety and compliance issues, including Cease and Desist Orders.
• Operating Authority: all issues concerning operating authority, formerly regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission and now handled by the Department of Transportation, including obtaining new and transferring existing operating authority, licenses, and permits.
• Permanent Leases: preparing and interpreting Permanent Leases and otherwise working with Owner Operators, including the difficult Independent Contractor issue.
• State Taxes Claims: representing carriers on sales and fuel tax claims.
• Challenges to Unfair State Taxes: representing carriers and industry groups opposed to unfair tax and decal charges. See American Trucking Association v. Quinn, 466 A.2d 1266 (Me. 1983). This case provided the first precedent that ultimately led to the Schneider decision in Pennsylvania.
• Hazardous Materials/Environmental: expeditiously resolving claims for hazardous materials and fuel spills.

With the support of our corporate team we handle a wide variety of transactional and business matters for our motor carrier clients, including operational issues, shareholder disputes, and purchase and sale of businesses.

With the support of our business litigation team we defend our carrier clients against the adverse claims, big and small, that they encounter from regulators, customers, vendors, competitors, employees, and current and former shareholders.

With the support of our real estate and land use and zoning lawyers, we handle all aspects of real estate transactions from the simple lease to the most complex development, construction, environmental and zoning entitlement issues.

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