Clifford G. Maine is chairman of the firm's Aviation Law Group. Mr. Maine's practice encompasses a wide variety of aviation law practice areas. He serves as general counsel to numerous aviation organizations.
Mr. Maine's aviation clients include some of the largest corporate flight departments in the world. He has structured numerous aviation transactions, including domestic and foreign-based aircraft purchase and sale transactions, like-kind exchanges, timeshare agreements, interchange agreements, joint and fractional ownership agreements, personal and executive use policies, FAA registrations, Capetown International Registry, and aircraft leasing transactions. Mr. Maine also provides legal counsel on tax-related aviation issues including federal excise tax planning, state sales and use tax planning, and depreciation planning.
In addition to his transactional practice, Mr. Maine regularly represents clients in complex aviation lawsuits and frequently advises on aviation insurance coverage matters, warranty matters, ongoing service requirements, and regulatory requirements.
He is a founding member and Chair of the Tax Committee of the National Business Aircraft Association and serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Business Aircraft Association. Mr. Maine also serves on the State Bar of Michigan Aviation Section (a section of the bar in which he acted as a founding member and past chairperson).
Mr. Maine is a founding board member of the West Michigan Aviation Academy, a charter high school focusing on aviation education for its students located at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Mr. Maine is a frequent speaker for programs conducted by the National Business Aviation Association, Lawyer Pilots Bar Association, and other professional aviation organizations.
He is admitted to practice law in Michigan and Minnesota and has been a licensed certified public accountant in Michigan and Minnesota, formerly working with a big six CPA firm. Mr. Maine took his first solo flight on his 16th birthday and has been a licensed pilot since the age of 17. He currently is an instrument-rated private pilot and holds a seaplane rating flying a Lake Amphibian.
Publications
· Can the Age 60 Rule Apply to Your Flight Operations?
· Carriage of Elected Officials Handbook