Mr. Alexander is a partner in the Litigation Services Department, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, Co-Chair of the Aviation Group, and a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. His practice concentrates on representation of airlines, product manufacturers, service companies, and aviation insurers in a wide variety of commercial, product liability, insurance coverage, and personal injury litigation, and on the representation of premises owners and contractors in litigation arising under the New York Labor Law. Mr. Alexander acts as lead counsel in litigation in state and federal courts across the United States, and has significant experience handling international arbitrations.
A frequent lecturer, Mr. Alexander has given multiple lectures and provided numerous seminars to manufacturers, airlines and insurers on various liability and regulatory issues. He also is an accomplished writer, having authored an article on airline liability for parental child abduction published in the SMU Journal of Air Law and Commerce, a chapter on the admissibility of expert evidence in federal court published in Litigating the Aviation Case, and a variety of articles on subjects including personal jurisdiction, tort reform, forum non conveniens and removal of Montreal Convention actions. He was the publications chair of DRI’s Aerospace Committee and editor of Skywritings, the Committee’s newsletter, between 2008 and 2011.
News & Publications
- Four Schnader Attorneys Again Selected as Leading Aviation Lawyers in North America by Who’s Who Legal: Transport 2022
- Barry Alexander and Edward Sholinsky Elected to Schnader’s Executive Committee; Melissa Blanton Re-Elected
- Aviation Happenings: Spring 2022
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds that Requiring Consent to Personal Jurisdiction in Order to Do Business in Pennsylvania Violates Due Process
- Aviation Happenings: Winter 2021
- New York Super Lawyers Named
- Aviation Happenings: Summer 2021
- DRI’s Aviation Wingtips Podcast Interview with NTSB’s Ted Dunlap
- Schnader Recognized as a Top Firm by Chambers USA
- Schnader’s Aviation Group Ranked Nationally by Chambers USA
- Aviation Happenings: Spring 2021
- Robert Williams and Barry Alexander to Co-Chair Aviation Group
- Schnader Attorneys Named in Who’s Who Legal: Transport 2021
- Aviation Happenings: Winter 2020
- New York Super Lawyers Named
- Aviation Happenings: Fall 2020
- Four Schnader Attorneys Selected for 2020 Aviation Expert Guide
- COVID-19: A Brief Overview of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
- Aviation Happenings: Spring 2020
- Five Schnader Attorneys Selected As Leading Aviation Lawyers in North America by Who’s Who Legal: Transport 2020
- Barry Alexander Quoted in Travel Weekly
- Aviation Happenings – Winter 2019
- Five Partners in Schnader’s Aviation Group Recognized in Who’s Who Legal: Transport 2020
- NY Super Lawyers Named
- Four Schnader Attorneys Selected for the 2019 Aviation Expert Guide
- Five Partners in Schnader’s Aviation Group Recognized in Who’s Who Legal: Aviation 2019
- Aviation Happenings – Winter 2018
- Aviation Happenings- Fall 2018
- Schnader Attorneys Named to NY Super Lawyers
- Schnader’s Aviation Group Nationally Ranked by The Legal 500 USA for Seventh Consecutive Year
- Schnader’s Aviation Group Ranked Nationally by Chambers USA
- Aviation Happenings- Spring 2018
- Aviation Happenings- Winter 2017
- Aviation Happenings- Fall 2017
- Schnader Attorneys Named to Super Lawyers 2017
- Aviation Happenings- Summer 2017
- Schnader’s Aviation Group Ranked Nationally by Chambers USA
- Schnader’s Aviation Group Nationally Ranked by Legal 500 USA for Sixth Consecutive Year
- Aviation Happenings- Spring 2017
- Barry Alexander Presented at IATA Legal Symposium
- Schnader Attorneys Among Those Selected For Who’s Who Legal: Transport 2017
- Aviation Happenings- Winter 2016-2017
- Barry Alexander Quoted in USA Today
- Many Schnader Attorneys Named to Super Lawyers 2016
- Aviation Happenings- Fall 2016
- Schnader’s Aviation Group, Litigation Department Recognized by Corporate America
- Settling Defendants Beware: Eleventh Circuit Holds Settling Insurer Liable for Failure to Protect Medicare Payments Made by Private Insurer
- Schnader’s Aviation Group Nationally Ranked by Legal 500 USA for Fifth Consecutive Year
- Schnader Attorneys Named “Top Aviation Lawyers” by Institutional Investor
- Aviation Happenings- Summer 2016
- Picking up the Pieces: Plaintiffs Relying on Registration Statutes in the Wake of Daimler
- Aviation Happenings- Spring 2016
- District Court Holds Contractor Not Liable for Army Helicopter Pilot’s Paralysis and Confirms Continuing Viability of Government Contractor Defense
- Schnader Team Granted COA from FAA
- Schnader’s Aviation Group Again Ranked Among Top Firms in the United States
- Aviation Happenings- Summer 2015
- Eighth Circuit Applies Compulsory Insurance Doctrine to Save Northwest: What Will Save You?
- “Back to Basics: Federal Jurisdiction in a Montreal Convention Case”
- NTSB Overturns Administrative Law Judge Decision and Holds That Federal Aviation Regulation 91.13 (Careless or Reckless Operation) Applies to Unmanned Aircraft Systems
- The New Product Liability Paradigm in Pennsylvania
- Recent NJ Appellate Court Decision Indicative of Continuing Uncertainty Regarding Personal Jurisdiction Over Foreign Manufacturers Using U.S. Distributors
- “U.S. Sanctions: A Labyrinth of Mythic Proportions”
- Three Partners in Schnader’s Aviation Group Recognized by Legal Media Group’s Expert Guide as World Leading Aviation Attorneys
- Pennsylvania Superior Court Reverses Forum Non Conveniens Dismissal of International Air Crash Case, But Don’t Equate Pennsylvania with Cook County, Illinois (Just Yet)
- Schnader Attorneys File Amicus Brief on Behalf of Aviation Insurance Association
- “From Tech Toy to a New Industry: Commercial Use of Drones and the Regulatory Foundation Laid by Pirker”
- “You Like ‘To-May-Toe,’ I Like ‘To-Mah-Toe'” – Distinctions Without a Material Difference: Supreme Court Reverses Lower Court Rejection of ATSA Immunity
- Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses … But Not Your Plaintiffs: Supreme Court Decision Limits General Personal Jurisdiction Over Foreign Defendants
- Aviation Happenings – Winter 2014
- “‘Not Without My Daughter’: Preemption of Claims Against an Airline for Parental Child Abduction”
- Barry Alexander Joins Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP
- “Helicopter Emergency Medical Services: Recent Regulatory/Legislative Developments”
- “Preemption and Removal Under the Montreal and Warsaw Conventions”
- “Legal Update: Aviation & Mass Torts Year-in-Review”
- “Now You Tell Me: Montreal Convention Notice of Claim Defense Gains Momentum in Cargo Context”
- “Removal Under the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions”
- Litigating the Aviation Case – From Pre-Trial to Closing Argument (3rd edition)
- “Forum Non Conveniens and the Montreal Convention”
Education
- Duke University School of Law, J.D., 1997
- Cornell University, Industrial and Labor Relations, B.S., 1994
Bar Admissions
- New York, 1998
- New Jersey, 2019
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Clerkships
- Honorable Sherrie L. Krauser, Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland
Other Distinctions
- Recognized by Chambers USA for nationwide aviation litigation, 2021*
- Listed among “Leading Aviation Attorneys” by Aviation Expert Guides, 2014-present*
- Winner of the International Advisory Experts Award for “Litigation Lawyer of the Year” in New York, 2017*
- Listed in Who’s Who Legal (Transport: Aviation-Contentious, Transport: Aviation-Regulatory), 2016-2022*
- Named to “New York Super Lawyers” list, 2015-2021*
*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information on methodologies is available via these links.
Representative Matters
Aviation Law and Litigation
- Lead counsel for defendant in high-profile litigation arising out of crash of aircraft after day of filming on set of major motion picture.
- Lead counsel for charter carrier in wrongful death litigation arising out of crash of aircraft in Bahamas.
- Represented charter carrier in international arbitration under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules arising out of commercial dispute that resulted in recovery of nearly $8 million for carrier
- Responsible for day-to-day handling of product liability action against major general aviation aircraft manufacturer arising out of crash; drafted motions for summary judgment that led to favorable settlement.
- Lead counsel for major international airline in litigation in New York and Pennsylvania, including actions arising out of alleged liability for parental abduction of child, and for personal injury alleged to have occurred on-board and during embarkation/disembarkation of aircraft.
- Lead counsel for one of world’s largest aviation engine manufacturers during international arbitration over cause of damage to engine.
- Handled trial on behalf of aviation maintenance company; case settled favorably during trial.
- Multiple trials resulting in defense verdict on behalf of major global courier delivery services company.
- Represent various aviation service companies in litigation pending in New York and New Jersey state and federal courts.
- Responsible for day-to-day matters in litigation arising from the 2014 crash of a Gulfstream IV aircraft in Bedford, Massachusetts
- Obtained dismissal in district court of claims for tortious interference with employment and discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity on behalf of major international air carrier. Handled briefing and oral argument before the Second Circuit.
- Successfully obtained summary judgment that was upheld on appeal to Second Circuit of claims against major international air carrier arising out of foreign government’s confiscation of large amount of currency due to lack of proper Customs documentation. Handled briefing and oral argument before Second Circuit.
- Drafted amicus briefs for world’s largest airline trade association in multiple Federal Circuit Court/Supreme Court appeals.
- Handled all aspects of wrongful death litigation against Fixed-Base Operator arising out of incident involving shipment of cargo dollies that fell onto truck driver.
Product Liability
- Defended overnight package delivery company in wrongful death action arising out of allegedly defective conveyor belt
- Defended airline in action arising out of allegedly defective ground support equipment.
- Responsible for day-to-day handling of litigation against aircraft component manufacturer arising out of the crash of a general aviation aircraft.
- Attended inspections and advised major international manufacturer of electrical equipment with regard to product liability claims
- Assisted with summary judgment briefing in litigation against major manufacturer of golf carts.
Insurance Coverage
- Lead counsel for insurer overseeing coverage litigation in California and Georgia federal courts relating to wrongful death and personal injury litigation arising out of crash after day of filming on major motion picture.
- Go-to-insurance coverage counsel for major aviation insurer.
- Represent insurer in litigation involving continuous trigger and other unsettled issues of insurance coverage law arising out of damage to major construction project.
- Drafted amicus brief submitted to Texas Supreme Court on behalf of Aviation Insurance Association in In re Deepwater Horizon litigation.
- Advised clothing manufacturer and retailer with regard to insurance coverage issues arising out of multiple sexual harassment and discrimination claims
Insurance Defense/Labor Law
- Defend variety of owners and contractors in labor law litigation arising out of construction in New York City.
- Represents insureds in variety of premises liability actions.
- Represent interests of excess insurer in relation to lawsuits with high exposures.
- Defended owner/developer against lawsuits arising out of injuries to laborers during the construction of two buildings at JFK International Airport.
- Defended general contractor against lawsuits arising out of injuries to laborers during construction of movie theater in New York City.
Related Events
- Webinar: Properly Handling Indemnity and Additional Insurance Claims
- Covid-19 Liability in Aviation: Should we be Concerned?
- Barry Alexander moderates panel at IATA Legal Symposium on Feb. 20
- Recent Developments in Air Carrier Cargo Liability
- Denny Shupe and Barry Alexander Presented at ABA Aviation Litigation Conference
- Barry Alexander and Robert Williams Participated in IATA Conferences
- Barry Alexander Presented at IATA Legal Symposium
- Barry Alexander Presented at IATA Cargo Claims and Loss Prevention Conference
- Barry Alexander Teaches IATA Cargo Claims and Complaint Handling Seminar
- Barry Alexander Presented at 11th IATA Cargo Claims and Loss Prevention Conference 2015
- Schnader Attorneys Presented at 2015 AIA Conference
- Barry Alexander Presented at the 2015 Embry-Riddle Aviation Law and Insurance Symposium
- Barry Alexander Presented at 10th IATA Cargo Claims and Loss Prevention Conference 2014
- Schnader Attorneys Present at the 48th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium
- Cargo Issues of Concern to Air Carriers
- Legal Experts Panel (Moderator); Carriage by Road in Air Cargo (Speaker)
- Instructor for Special Half-Day Educational Session on Cargo Law
- Aviation Year in Review: Key Cases, Incidents and Legislative Efforts and Their Impact on Your Cases and Clients for the Second Half of 2013
- Indemnity Agreements and Additional Insurance Provisions
- Loss Prevention and Claims Handling: A Case Study; Legal Experts Panel
- Aviation Year in Review: A Hands-On Examination of the Key Judicial Decisions and Legislative Efforts, What They Mean for the Practice and Their Impact on Your Pending Cases
- Legal Issues Facing EL AL with Respect to U.S. Flights
- Medicare Reporting and Reimbursement — What You Need to Know
- Live Animal Handling — A Legal Perspective
- Air Carriage Involving Trucking & Freight Forwarders
- Air Carriage Involving Trucking & Freight Forwarders
- Medicare Reporting and Reimbursement – What You Need to Know
- Legal Update: Aviation & Mass Torts Year-in-Review
- Liability in the Paper Free Environment (e-AWB)
- Tort Reform: Where It Is and Where It Is Going