Legal Affairs Seminar Brings Transportation Lawyers Together in Philadelphia

4/7/2026

APTA’s Legal Affairs Seminar held March 15-17 in Philadelphia, PA, was a resounding success, made possible by the collective support, engagement, and participation of transportation lawyers from across the country. The seminar brought together transportation lawyers, practitioners, and professionals to engage in thoughtful dialogue on the key legal and policy issues shaping public transportation.

This year’s program covered a wide range of timely and important topics, including updates and perspectives from current and former USDOT leadership; legislative and regulatory developments; litigation trends; safety and security; local ballot measures; labor disputes; and ethics. Participants also explored emerging and evolving areas of practice such as autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence, major and mega event planning and preparedness, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) updates, rail mergers, tariffs, and strategies for building and sustaining collaborative partnerships across the industry.

Each session offered valuable insights and practical perspectives, contributing to a deeper understanding of the legal and operational challenges facing public transportation today. The high quality of the panels reflected the depth of experience, expertise, and commitment of the speakers and participants, and underscored the importance of staying current with the legal and policy developments influencing the transportation industry.

Key participants and supporters contributing to the seminar’s success include:

  • APTA Legal Affairs Committee leadership—Jonathan Hunt (chair), Shayna M. van Hoften (vice-chair), Cleveland Ferguson (secretary), and Bill Moseley (immediate past chair)
  • Seminar speakers and panelists who generously shared their knowledge and experience
  • USDOT chief counsels Matthew Cahill (FTA) and Kyle Fields (FRA)
  • Keynote speaker Leslie Richards of the University of Pennsylvania
  • Leadership from USDOT, SEPTA, NJ Transit, Amtrak, and many others
  • Thompson Coburn LLP and Kaplan Kirsch LLP (sponsorship)
  • APTA staff

The next Legal Affairs Seminar will be in Nashville, TN, in 2027.