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Douglas A. Latto |
Doug Latto is a partner in the firm and specializes in aviation accident litigation. He has been a part of the firm for 15 years, and has handled numerous cases involving catastrophic injuries and death. Named a New York Super Lawyer for 2008, Doug was appointed as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in connection with the litigations arising from the crashes of Comair Flight 5191 and American Airlines Flight 587. The firm was also appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee with respect to the litigation arising out of the September 11th terrorist atrocities and Doug was a member of the sub-committees responsible for the litigation arising out of the hijackings of American Airlines Flight 11 and American Airlines Flight 77. He was also a member of the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee in the Swissair Flight 111 litigation and was actively involved in both the EgyptAir Flight 990 and TWA Flight 800 mass disaster actions.
Doug was also heavily involved in the litigation arising from the crash of Comair Flight 3272, which resulted from an in-flight icing event in January 1997. As a result of his involvement in the litigations arising from the crashes of ValuJet Flight 592 and Air Midwest Flight 5481, he also has extensive experience in aviation accidents caused by improper maintenance performed by outside maintenance contractors.
Doug is currently handling a number of general aviation crashes involving claims against manufacturers, air traffic controllers, pilots and flight instructors. He has resolved many actions involving rotary wing aircraft, including claims against Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, The Boeing Company, as well as against Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH with respect to the crash of a BK-117 helicopter into the East River in New York City. He has successfully litigated dozens of general aviation accidents which have included claims against manufacturers, flight schools and fixed based operators.
Doug received his Juris Doctorate degree, magna cum laude, from the American University School of Law in 1991 and was a member of the Law Review and the Honor Society.
Publications/Seminars
Mr. Latto has authored numerous papers in the field of aviation litigation and has lectured at various symposiums and conferences, including:
• Panel Member, “Modernizing the Nation’s ATC System - Is NextGen the Real Fix?” ABA Torts and Insurance Practice Section, Aviation & Space Law Committee Annual Symposium, Washington, D.C., October 2008;
• Panel Participant, "Increasing Criminalization of Aviation Accidents", American Bar Association, Trial Insurance Practice Section, Aviation & Space Law Committee, Washington, D.C., October 2007
• Moderator, "Successful Navigation of the Air Crash Discovery Path," American Association for Justice Annual Convention, Aviation Section, Chicago, IL in July 2007;
• Panel Participant, "Outsourcing Maintenance: What it Means for Carriers and Insurers", ABA Aviation & Space Law Committee, Washington, D.C., October 2006;
• "So Many Courts, So Little Time: The Challenges of Multi-Jurisdiction Aviation Litigation," (co-author) ABA Litigation Section, Aviation Seminar, New York, NY, June 2006;
• "Update on Sept. 11th Litigation," SMU Air Law Symposium, Dallas, TX, February 2005;
• "Mass Tort Litigation," ATLA Annual Convention, Boston, MA, July 2004;
• "Recent Developments in Warsaw Litigation," United States Aviation Underwriters Airline Symposium, New York, NY, January 2003;
• American Bar Association Tort and Insurance Practice Aviation Litigation Seminar in Washington, D.C. in October 2002;
• "Update on 9/11 Compensation and Long Island Airbus Aircrash," Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association Airlaw 2002 Seminar, Chateau Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, July 2002;
• "Use of Experts Today," ATLA Annual Convention, Aviation Law Section, Atlanta, GA, July 2002;
• American Bar Association Aviation Litigation Seminar in June 2002;
• "World Trade Center: Victim Compensation Fund," Southern Methodist University Air Law Symposium, February 2002;
• "Plaintiff's Perspective on the Ethical Challenges of Managing Multi-Plaintiff Tort Cases," Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Aviation Law/Insurance Symposium, January 2002;
• Panelist discussing aviation litigation in the United States at Lloyd's of London in London, England in June, 2001.
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