Barbara E. Lichman, Ph.D. has an extensive and successful record representing airports, municipalities, developers, and other public and private clients in litigation and administrative proceedings under Federal Aviation statutes such as the Airline Deregulation Act and Airport Noise and Capacity Act; the California Public Utilities Code governing land use in airport environs (Aeronautics Act); and federal and state environmental statutes including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Clean Air Act, the Federal Clean Water Act, the California Environmental Quality Act, and the California Coastal Act. She has also successfully represented clients in litigation involving land use issues such as inverse condemnation, development agreements and specific plan amendments. Dr. Lichman holds a doctorate in urban and regional planning.

Dr. Lichman's experience is both national and international. As a Registered Federal Lobbyist, Dr. Lichman successfully lobbied and testified before Congress on behalf of aircraft owners and operators on issues including the grant of investment tax credits for noise reduction of aircraft engines. She also served as counsel to Air AAA Group, a consortium of international architectural, engineering and construction companies in their airport development activities at Pudong Airport, Shanghai, China. Dr. Lichman served as managing partner of Chevalier, Allen & Lichman, LLP, for sixteen years, and has been at Buchalter for six years.

Dr. Lichman's clients include public entities, airport owners/sponsors, land developers, major power generating companies, airport fixed-base operators (FBOs), and aircraft owners.

Aviation & Airport Development Law News Blog

Bar Admissions
California

Supreme Court of the United States

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona - Tucson Division

U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada

U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho - Northern Division

Education
USC Gould School of Law, J.D., 1988

USC School of Urban and Regional Planning, M.P.L. and Ph.D.

Brandeis University, B.A.

Significant Accomplishments

Published Cases

United States Courts of Appeals

• City of Mukilteo, Wa. v. U.S. Dept. of Transp., 815 F.3d 632 (9^th Cir. 2016)
• Tinicum Township, Pa. v. U.S. Dept. of Transp., 685 F.3d 288 (3rd Cir. 2012)
• 41 North 73 West, Inc. v. U.S. D.O.T., 408 Fed.Appx. 393 (2nd Cir. 2010)
• City of Las Vegas, Nev. v. F.A.A., 570 F.3d 1109 (9th Cir. 2009)
• County of Delaware, Pa. v. Department of Transp., 554 F.3d 143 (D.C. Cir. 2009)
• City of Olmsted Falls, Ohio v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 435 F.3d 632 (6th Cir. 2006)

State Courts of Appeal

• Olmsted Falls v. Jones, 152 Ohio App.3d 282 (Ohio App. 10th Dist. 2003)

U.S. District Courts

• SilverWing at Sandpoint, LLC V. Bonner County, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 165000 (D. Idaho 2014)
• City of Olmsted Falls v. U.S. E.P.A., 266 F.Supp.2d 718 (N.D. Ohio 2003)
• City of Olmsted Falls v. U.S. E.P.A., 233 F.Supp.2d 890 (N.D. Ohio 2002)

FAA Regulations Act Exempts Next-Gen Airspace Redesign Projects From Environmental Review

When it Comes to Airport Noise Regulation, 'Big Brother' is Watching You

The Department of the Interior Releases its Final Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines

The Obama Administration Agrees to Expedite Development of Great Lakes Offshore Wind Projects

The Forest Service Crosses Swords with Ski Area Operators Over Water Rights

Federal Agencies Take Coordinated Steps to Regulate Hydraulic Fracturing

Attorney Confident City will Win Appeal

Mukilteo Seeks Others in Fight Against Paine Field Flights

City to Appeal FAA's Paine Field Ruling

Streaming Environmental Review: Myth or Reality?

Privatization of the United States Air Traffic Control System Hits Roadblock in the U.S. Senate

Uber Flies High in FAA's Airspace

Congress' Attempt to Transfer Air Traffic Control to a Private Corporation Leaves a Great Deal to the Imagination

Connecticut State Statute Limiting the Length of the Runway at Tweed-New Haven Airport Resists Federal Preemption Challenge

Operators of Small Unmanned Aircraft Uses for Recreational Purposes Will Soon Face Regulation

The Privatization of Air Traffic Control Vigorously Opposed by General Aviation Groups

Challenge to FAA's Southern California Airspace Redesign Progresses

The First Round in Petitioners' Challenge to the SoCal Metroplex Project

FAA Supports the Right of Airport Sponsor to Use Airport Funds in Defense of Locally Enacted Noise Restrictions

FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 Gives the Nod to Passenger's Rights, Both in the Air and On the Ground

Law 360: How The House FAA Bill Champions Air Travelers' Rights

Appellate Court Affirms FAA Control Over Recreational Drones

FAA Stands Firm in Defense of Federal Preemption of Airspace Regulations

Congress Provides for Numerous Noise Studies in 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act

Drones Get Center Stage as FAA Proposes to Loosen Restrictions

FAA Administrator Explains Agency's Hands Off Approach to Safety Certification

The Aviation Industry Has Grand Ambitions for Urban Air Mobility - In the Not Too Distant Future

Pilots Take Boeing and FAA to the Woodshed in Testimony on the 737 Max Tragedies

Supreme Court Lightens Property Owners' Procedural Burdens in "Taking" Cases

California Courts Close Loopholes in Definition of "Project" Under CEQA

The National Transportation Safety Board Report Mutes Criticism of the 737 Max Aircraft Design

DOT Inspector General Finds "Challenges" in Achievement of FAA's Safety Mission

FAA Ignores Its Own Regulations in Allowing Expenditure of Airport Revenue to Demolish Runway at Santa Monica Municipal Airport

FAA Focuses on Controlling Revenue Diversion

Quiet Skies Congressional Caucus Gets Brush Off from FAA

FAA Seeks to Free Airlines from "Burden" of Consumer Protections

Regulation of VTOLS Lags Far Behind Technology

FAA Sidesteps Congressional Mandate to Evaluate Alternative Noise Metrics

Executive Order Presents a Trade-Off Between Infrastructure Investment and Environmental Regulation

Proposed Legislation Repudiates Congress' Hands Off Policy Toward Aircraft Certification

Colorado Court Judgment Finds Noise Modeling Significantly Understates Aircraft Noise