How Can a Transportation and Logistics Attorney Influence the Success of Your Business?

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Transportation companies must comply with the governing statutes to keep business running smoothly. They also need to acquire the right permits and legal documentation. A transportation and logistics attorney helps resolve issues hindering business operations. They can assist with contract negotiations, insurance matters, and transactional work.

Legal advice is communicating a lawyer’s professional opinion about the law and how it applies to a particular factual situation. A lawyer can offer legal advice in exchange for financial or other tangible compensation or free legal advice. The business leaders of transportation entities expect their lawyers to counsel them on the legal matters that face their businesses. Still, a transportation and logistics attorney’s influence can extend beyond that. A good lawyer will become a trusted advisor for their clients, providing professional judgment, emotional intelligence and honesty in a way that is tailored to the client’s risk tolerance and enterprise objectives.

When a transportation and logistics attorney becomes a trusted advisor, it can make a difference in whether they are called on to resolve the most significant legal issues facing a company. It is common for the most serious cases to result in litigation, and a trusted advisor can help prevent such situations from arising by offering proactive strategies that can mitigate legal risk.

For example, a lawyer can protect their transportation and logistics client’s competitive advantage by proactively counseling the company on trademark, patent, copyright and data issues. In addition, a seasoned transportation and logistics attorney can help a trucking company navigate complex regulatory issues by providing advice and guidance informed by up-to-the-minute changes in state and federal laws and regulations.

Risk Management

Risk management monitors potential risks that may impact a company’s ability to meet business objectives. Those risks could be anything from financial benchmarks to customer satisfaction. Companies can mitigate these risks by learning to recognize them and finding cost-effective ways to reduce their likelihood. These methods can include risk avoidance, risk reduction and transfer.

A transportation and logistics attorney should help a company develop an effective risk management plan. This is important for companies that want to stay competitive and meet their goals. For instance, new technology can improve efficiency but comes with a certain level of risk. If the technology performs well, it could positively impact revenue and lead to a loss of customers.

The risk management plan should be based on the organization’s goals, culture and business processes. It should also be based on the ability to respond quickly to changing situations and uncover circumstances that may affect a company’s ability to meet its objectives. The plan must be documented to be reviewed and improved periodically. An effective risk management plan should be communicated clearly throughout the organization. Senior executives should clarify that strong risk management practices are necessary and should lead by example. It should be easy for employees to report observations about risks back up to senior leadership.

Negotiation

In a business as complex and fluid as transportation, unforeseen circumstances often arise that require the skills of an experienced corporate logistics attorney. For example, if a carrier is involved in a catastrophic claim or an insurance dispute that results in litigation, the parties will need ironclad contracts.  Representing technology and manufacturing clients in connection with intellectual property licensing, patent infringement matters and strategic patenting of their technologies and business methods, including fuel tax calculation methodologies; load dispatch processes; customer call center processes and structures; data structuring and mouse roll-over technologies and other Internet-related business methods and technologies. Also supporting the development, purchase and registration of a variety of new transportation companies by preparing corporate, business, and insurance policy documents and advising them on compliance issues, including local, state, and federal transportation regulations.

Litigation

Running a transport-based business requires a lot of resources and expertise. This is why a reliable lawyer is essential to help with legal issues. A transportation and logistics attorney can help with a wide range of topics, from helping to understand industry regulations to handling any litigation that may arise. A transportation and logistics attorney can also advise on contracts, tax laws, insurance policies, and other business aspects.

Whether shipping products in tractor-trailers, moving goods by air or sea, or providing warehouse and logistics services, transportation-related businesses often face complex issues involving multiple companies, numerous regulatory regimes and dozens of oversight agencies. As a result, they are exposed to a wide array of liability risks.

Moreover, the rapidly changing technology and competitive environment in transportation have created new concerns. This is why having a transportation and logistics attorney who can keep up with industry trends is important. At the same time, transportation and logistics attorneys can help with any litigation that might arise from these changes, including patent infringement claims. We have advised and litigated patent infringement cases involving fuel tax calculation methodologies, load dispatch processes, customer call center structures, data structuring, and mouse rollover technologies. We have also handled disputes involving transportation and logistics intermediaries, shippers and carriers.