James Janaitis

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Janaitis worked with the FAA's legal department and a corporate aviation consulting firm. He has also worked in the safety departments of two national airlines, and he has a private pilot's license with an instrument rating.

• Partnered with publicly traded and private companies, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals to understand their unique goals and challenges; help them navigate the complex landscape of FAA, Department of Transportation, Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission, Transportation Safety Administration, and international regulations that apply to business aviation; and analyze and implement a variety of client-specific structures for owning, leasing, and chartering business aircraft.

• Represents a variety of helicopter operators, including air medical, external load, and offshore, in all aspects of their operations.

• Assisted clients with aviation regulatory, import/export, secured asset, and tax issues for operating and financing leases, purchase and sale agreements, and aviation services agreements for aircraft in various international locations, including Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad, and Turkey.

• Advises private equity clients in the acquisition of various aviation-related companies, including FBOs, aircraft parts manufacturers, aircraft repair facilities, on-demand operators, and transportation and logistics companies.

• Acted as primary aviation counsel in negotiating and drafting a $350 million credit facility, including conducting title searches, resolving title issues, and preparing necessary filings for more than 150 financed aircraft.

• Represents multiple aircraft component manufacturers and repair and completion facilities in the sale of their products and services.

• Advises charter operators, aircraft management companies, and charter brokers in the negotiation of customer agreements and regulatory compliance.

• Represents a large air cargo transportation company in all aspects of its global operations, including agreements for ground and cargo services; maintenance, repair, and overhaul; blocked space cargo; and full aircraft charter.

• Advises multiple FBOs on facility leases, customer and vendor contracts, evictions, and acquisitions of FBO operations.

• Listed in Mid-South Rising Stars (2013)
• Named "Top 40 Under 40" by the Tri-Cities Business Journal (2013)
• Recipient – Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, Legal Aid of East Tennessee (2012)
• Honor Roll Recipient – Legal Aid of East Tennessee
• Keith J. Schapiro Business Bankruptcy Writing Award
• Committee Member – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Regulatory Issues Advisory Group
• Member – American Bar Association
  • Forum Committee on Air and Space Law

• "IRS Announces Increased Audits on Corporate Jet Usage" (February 2024)
• "FAA Proposes Rules for Powered-Lift Aircraft Operations and Pilot Certification" (July 2023)
• "Many Corporate Aircraft Operators are Operating Illegally Without Realizing it – The Flight Department Company Trap" (April 2023)
• "FAA To Investigate Operators Who Have Not Complied With the Pilot Records Database Requirements" (April 2023)
• "100 Percent Bonus Depreciation Phase-Out for Certain Corporate Aircraft Begins January 1, 2023" (October 2022)
• "Pilot Records Database Compliance Deadline for Certain Part 91 Operators is June 10. Is Your Company Ready?" (June 2022)
• "Are Your Aircraft's Flights (and You) Being Tracked?" (March 2022)
• "Privacy Considerations For Aircraft Owners (Part 3)," AvBuyer (September 2021)
• "Privacy Considerations For Aircraft Owners (Part 2)," AVBuyer (August 2021)
• "Privacy Considerations For Aircraft Owners (Part 1)," AvBuyer (July 2021)
• "What New FAA Pilot Records Rule Means For Flight Operators," Law360 (June 2021)
• "Avoiding Issues When Structuring a Corporate Aviation Program," TerraLex Connections (April 2013)
• "Bankruptcy Collides with Antitrust: The Need for a Prohibition Against Using § 1110 Protections Collectively," 25 Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal 197 (2008)

• Moderator – "Rotary Leasing 2023," Helicopter Investor Conference, London (March 2023)
• "Legal Issues for Entrepreneurs," AccelNow Boot Camp (April 2013)

• Aviation Attorney Alex Marriott Joins Baker Donelson in D.C. (March 22, 2023)
• Aviation Attorney James Janaitis Joins Baker Donelson (March 30, 2022)

• Aviation Attorney Jim Janaitis Featured in Law360 (April 4, 2022)