TRB's 56th Annual Workshop on Transportation Law

Transportation Research Board 56th Annual Workshop on Transportation Law

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) hosted its 56th Annual Workshop on Transportation Law in Salt Lake City from July 30 to August 2.  The workshop provided a forum for federal, state, and local highway and transit organizations to exchange problems and propose solutions.  Workshop participants presented unusual cases and identified potential legal problems before they became widespread predicaments.  Nossaman attorneys spoke on a wide range of topics. 

• On Monday, July 31 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Bernadette Duran-Brown was a panelist speaker for "Eminent Domain Basics: What Every Agency Lawyer Should Know."  This panel served as a primer or a refresher to eminent domain law and focus on the critical importance of timely expert advice to avoid unnecessary problems and resultant expense.  On the same day at 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Christine Ryan spoke on the panel, "Lessons Learned From Procurement Protests."  This session addressed organizational conflicts of interest and other situations likely to give rise to protests, measures that can be adopted to forestall protests, different options available to respond to protests (cancellation of procurement, amended solicitation, denial of protest), and relevant court decisions.  
• On Tuesday, August 1 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Nancy Smith moderated the panel, "Legal Issues for Airport P3s and Designing Dispute Systems for Alternative Project Delivery."  Brandon Davis also participated in this panel that discussed legal issues relating to use of P3s for development and operation of airport projects.  At 10:00 a.m., Bernadette spoke again on the panel on "Recent Developments in Eminent Domain."  This session reviewed recent appellate court decisions from around the country involving takings claims, regulatory takings, damages, right to take, and just compensation.  Thomas Dover served as a panelist speaker for "Intellectual Property Considerations in Public Contracts" on intellectual property issues relevant for public contracts. 
• On Wednesday, August 2, Brooke Wahlberg spoke on a panel on "Endangered Species and Transportation Project Development" at 8:00 a.m.  This session reviewed recent trends and best practices in species conservation law impacting transportation planning and development.  At 9:45 a.m., Edward Kussy moderated an Ethics Session titled, "A Distinguished Lecture, Some Duties You Owe Your Public Client, and An Ethics Free For All."  The program covered important ethics issues including loyalty and confidentiality.