Biography
Jim Struble’s primary area of practice is aviation, in which he has experience in trying both jury and non-jury matters as lead counsel for major airlines. He represents corporate and fractional ownership aircraft owners and operators in all aspects of aviation transactional matters including purchase, management, charter, and lease agreements. He also handles regulatory and enforcement matters, including dangerous goods/hazardous materials and drug and alcohol testing matters, for both air carriers and pilots and has successfully tried cases before NTSB Administrative Law Judges.
He also served over 24 years as a pilot for a major U. S. carrier, where he retired as a captain after logging more than 15,000 hours in the B-737, MD-88, MD-90, B-727 and L-1011. A retired Air Force instructor pilot and flight examiner, he has more than 4,000 hours of military flight time in the C-141 and KC-10 and is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm.
Education
B.S., United States Air Force Academy
J.D., SMU Dedman School of Law
Bar Admissions
Texas, 1991
Court Admissions
United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
United States District Court for the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
Jim has represented buyers and sellers of business jets and turboprops closing over 10 0 transactions on aircraft valued from $500,000 to $30 million. Areas where Jim counsels and advises clients include:
- Aviation Accident Defense
- FAA Enforcement Defense
- Aircraft Property Taxes
- Charter Operator Representation
- Aircraft transactions including the purchase, sale, or lease of an aircraft
- Fractional Ownership and Shared Ownership alternatives
Some of Jim’s notable recent accomplishments include:
- Import of Global 5000 from Isle of Man
- Assisted client with purchase of three Citation Xs, including one import from Brazil and placement of the aircraft on a charter certificate
- In 2018 alone, facilitated the closing of 24 separate aircraft transactions
- Advised dozens of clients with regards to aircraft personal property taxes
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.)
- Aviation Law, 2021-2022
- Super Lawyer – Aviation, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2012-2013
- “Strategies for Sharing a Business Aircraft,” State Bar of Texas Aviation Law Section, San Antonio, Texas (November 10, 2017)
- “Aircraft Transaction Basics: A Business Development Opportunity,” presented at Journal of Air Law and Commerce 48th Annual Symposium (April 4, 2014)
- “Aircraft Sales and Lease Basics,” presented at Aviation Law Section Annual Meeting, State Bar of Texas (June 25, 2004)
- “Fractional Ownership – A Practitioner’s Guide,” presented at Journal of Air Law and Commerce 36th Annual Symposium (March 1, 2002)
- “FAA Aeromedical Certificate Issues,” presented at Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University Aviation Law/Insurance Symposium (January 15, 2002)
- “Alcohol and Your Certificate – What Every Pilot and Operator Should Know,” presented to Flexjet Pilot Group (June 29, 2000)
- “Status of Pending Air Carrier Litigation,” presented at Journal of Air Law and Commerce 29th Annual Symposium (February 24, 1995)
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Texas
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel
- Dallas Bar Association
- NTSB Bar Association
- Lawyer-Pilot Bar Association
- National Business Aircraft Association