Barbara E. Lichman, Ph.D., J.D.

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 Federal Aviation Act, 49 U.S.C. § 40101, et seq.; the California Public Utilities Code governing California land use in airport environs (State 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 also represents clients in litigation involving land use issues such as inverse condemnation, development agreements and specific plan amendments. Dr. Lichman holds both a doctorate in urban and regional planning, and a law degree from the University of Southern California.

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 is a Shareholder at the law firm of Buchalter, A Professional Corporation, well known in the City of Los Angeles and throughout the Western United States for its 73 years of successful representation of business and other interests within the community.

Representative Matters

  • City of Los Angeles v. Dickson, ________, 2021 WL 2850586 (9th Cir. 2021)
  • Vaughn v. Federal Aviation Administration, 756 Fed.Appx. 8, 2018 WL 6430368 (D.C. Cir. 2018)
  • BRRAM, Inc. v. Federal Aviation Administration, 721 Fed.Appx. 173, 2018 WL 332908 (3rd Cir. 2018)
  • SilverWing at Sandpoint, LLC v. Bonner County, 700 Fed.Appx. 715, 2017 WL 4995822 (9th Cir. 2017)
  • City of Mukilteo, Wa. v. U.S. Dept. of Transp., 815 F.3d 632 (9th Cir. 2016)
  • SilverWing at Sandpoint, LLC v. Bonner County, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16500 (D. Idaho 2014)
  • 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)
  • City of Olmsted Falls, OH v. F.A.A., 292 F.3d 261 (D.C. Cir. 2002)

Education

Dr. Lichman earned her J.D. at the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law in 1988 after receiving her M.P.L. and Ph.D. from the USC School of Urban and Regional Planning. She earned her B.A. at Brandeis University.

Areas of Practice

  • Aviation/Airports Law and Litigation
  • Land Use Law and Litigation
  • Environmental Law and Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 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 District of Nevada
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, Northern Division