Sophy Chen is an established transportation industry attorney with over 15 years of expertise handling a variety of regulatory and business matters for airlines and other aircraft operators, airports, foreign civil aviation authorities, aerospace manufacturers, and aviation service and maintenance companies as well as non-aviation companies, such as hazardous materials shippers. Her practice has spanned a wide array of federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and the Transportation Security Administration. Her regulatory work includes licensing issues, regulatory compliance, and competition analysis as well as the defense of enforcement cases. In addition, Ms. Chen advises clients on commercial matters, including codesharing and alliance agreements, aircraft operating leases, and travel distribution agreements.  She has also represented clients in business aircraft transactions.

Representative matters include:

• Advising and representing airlines on passenger consumer-protection matters involving, for example, avoiding unfair and deceptive practices and complying with the Air Carrier Access Act
• Representing aircraft operators and aerospace companies on FAA certification and enforcement matters
• Advising airports regarding competition issues, international air service, and slots
• Assisting an airline computer reservations system on competition and regulatory matters
• Representing an Internet travel services provider in DOT rulemaking
• Defending repair stations in FAA enforcement actions
• Defending major corporations involving potential violations of the hazardous materials regulations
• Representing aviation security companies, prior to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration, regarding legislative issues and matters

After graduating from Boston University Law School, Ms. Chen joined the Honors Attorney program at the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration. In addition, she was a member of the aviation practices at other prominent law firms in Washington, D.C. and served as a senior attorney in the general counsel’s office of Airlines for America.

Ms. Chen received a B.A. in mathematics and economics from Boston University. Before entering law school, she taught middle-school mathematics in New York City, as a Teach for America corps member. She received her J.D. from the Boston University School of Law and is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Washington, DC.

Ms. Chen’s email address is:  [email protected].