The Formation
Our natal day was the incorporation of the Legal Eagles Association on August 4, 1959, under the New Jersey Non-profit Corporation Act. Alfred Rathblott, our Association's first president, had the creative impulse to organize an association of flying lawyers.
The coterie of nine lawyer-pilots who signed Articles of Incorporation were Merrill Armour, William G. Freemen, Howard G. Law. Jr., Alfred R. Pierce, David C. Quinn, Albert Rathblott, Frank Kingston Smith, Stuart M. Speiser, and Alfred L. Wolf. They were men of known ability as lawyers and aviators who perceived the need for an association wherein lawyer pilots might find the expressions of their aspirations in an atmosphere of aviation fellowship.
Frank Kingston Smith gave a "hell yes" when asked by Al whether or not he would be interested in the formation of a cadre of flying lawyers. In Frank's words: "A few days later another phone call. You got a minute' were Al's first words after I picked up the hand set. I said I did. Well' he said with that gravelly voice of his. 'I'm double parked on Chestnut Street right out in front of your building. C'mon down and sign the Articles before I get a ticket.' I rushed down and signed the papers on top of Al's car."
General Alfred L. Wolf received a similar recruiting call from Al. Like Frank, Abby was a Philadelphia lawyer, but he had partners to contend with. They, not knowing the difference between an aileron and an airworthiness directive, disapproved of the name "Legal Eagles." It so lacked dignity that Abby's partners instructed him to decline. Abby signed on only after the name was changed by appropriate resolution amending the Certificate of Incorporation to Lawyer Pilots Association. "Legal Eagles" was retained as a nickname and memorialized in the name of our Association's publication which for many years was called "Legal Eagle News."
In later years we assumed more of the dignity Abby's partners were looking for. In 1965, by amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, we became a bar association, the Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association, and later the "News" became the Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association Journal.
The Association's Geographic Reach
In the formative years there was much to be done by the Board of Directors at their special meetings held in cities coast to coast. Early on the need to divide the country into LPBA regions was recognized. Originally there were four regions, Northeast, Southeast, Central and Western. Now there are nine corresponding to the geographic regions formed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Each region is headed by a Regional Vice President. The Association is now international, with an elected International Vice Presidents and members in Canada, England, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Cyprus, and Guatemala.
Opening the Membership to Non-Pilots and Non-Lawyers
An item in Al Rathblott's first Bulletin to members, sent out to members only one month after incorporation, indicated the enthusiastic reception the formation of the Lawyer-Pilots Association received: "Attorneys from 20 states totaling seventy-six in number, have initiated a desire to belong to this Association. Two months after being incorporated, twenty-one flying lawyers attended the first meeting of the corporation at Monticello, New York, October 25, 1959.
From time to time the suggestion was whispered to open a non-voting class of membership for non-pilot lawyers who were aviation oriented and had much to offer LPBA. This extreme departure from the traditional was considered to be heresy when proposed by resolution to be voted on at the 1967 summer meeting at Mackinac Island. The resolution was defeated unanimously in 1967, but times do change. Clearly there were non-pilot lawyers and others who shared our common interest and purpose and who were willing and able to make a significant contribution to the improvement of LPBA.
A hearty "welcoming aboard" is now given to the non-voting members classified as: lawyers who are not pilots but who have an interest in aviation safety or aviation law; students currently attending law school who have an airman's certificate; and any person who has an interest in aviation safety or aviation law.
 Taken from an article published in the LPBA Journal in 1991 originally written by George I. Whitehead, Jr., President 1988-1990 |
Our Reasons for Existence
In 1965, when the name of our Association was changed a second time, the purposes of the cooperation were rewritten as follows: (a) to encourage the knowledge and understanding of aviation law; to promote spirit of fellowship within those of legal profession who have the interest of both lawyer and a pilot in the science or administration of aviation law; (b) to promote cooperation with governmental and other organizations so as to enhance general aviation safety and to offer to both governmental and civil agencies, the special knowledge and skill of its members so as to assist such agencies in the performance of their functions in the development of aviation law.
There are three more, unwritten but equally important purposes of the Association. They are: the continuing legal education of our lawyer members; the pursuit of good times, and the fellowship we have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy together.
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Educational Activities of the Association
To achieve the Association's educational purposes, semi-annual national meetings are held, winter and summer, at which well known men and women come to speak on subjects that are topical at the moment. The speakers come from diversified backgrounds: the bench and bar; industry; education; state and federal administrative bodies; and our own talented membership. The professional programs are prepared to gain CLE credit in non-aviation as well as aviation fields of law. The national conventions have produced a host of speakers who have given stirring and informative talks at the annual luncheon and banquet.
The well-written, informative articles published quarterly in the Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association Journal provide members with topical developments in aviation and the law.
Discovered in the November 1969 issue of The AOPA PILOT magazine, members of the then 10 year old Lawyer Pilots Bar Association help conduct a legal seminar at the September 1969 AOPA convention in Atlantic City, NJ. The late Virginia Hash was President of LPBA from 1966-1970, John Yodice served as President from 1984-1986, and the late Lloyd B. Ericsson served as President from 1978-1980
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Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association
PO Box 1510
Edgewater, MD 21037
Phone: (410) 571-1750
Fax: (410) 571-1780
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