11400 W. Olympic Boulevard, Suite 1150, Los Angeles, CA 90064
310-478-0077   |   Fax 310-478-0099   |   info@clarkgoldberg.com

118 N. Gadsden Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301 | 850-222-1425

Phil has almost 30 years experience in aviation litigation. He has represented businesses, aircraft owners, commercial operators, aircraft manufacturers, pilots and other aviation professionals in air crash and business litigation.  As lead counsel in many highly publicized cases such as The Twilight Zone Movie Helicopter Accident, The Kareem Abduhl Jabbar Fire Litigation, the Galaxy Airlines Disaster, the World Airways DC-10 crash, the Wings West Mid-air disaster and others, Phil has demonstrated his ability to present complex matters in a clear and understandable way to juries.

Professional Experience

The Kolczynski Law Corporation: Long Beach, CA

(1995-present)

• Managing attorney, representing clients nationally for over 12 years

Clark, Goldberg & Madruga: Los Angeles, California

(2006-present)

• Of Counsel, contributing in the fields of FAA enforcement defense, aviation transactional and regulatory compliance and aviation liability defense.

Teaching Experience

• University of Southern California, Current Lecturer and Instructor, Aviation Safety Management and Accident Investigation Program, School of Engineering-Aviation Law, Expert Witness Law, Aviation Product Liability and International Aviation Accident Law
• University of Southern California, served as Contract Aviation Law Instructor to the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School and the Nation of Trinidad and Tobago
• Visiting Lecturer at four Law Schools and over 20 Aviation Law Symposia
• California Continuing Education of the Bar(CEB) Attorney Instructor, "Advanced Settlement Negotiations" and "Product Liability Litigation."

Publishing and Public Speaking Experience

Book Author "Preparing for Trial in Federal Court," James Publishing (1993-2007, supplemented annually)

Scholarly Author of four law review articles on Aircraft Certification, Mixed Civil-Criminal Aviation Litigation, Admiralty Jurisdiction over Air Crashes, Fractional Aircraft Ownership Liability

Industry Author of over 50 aviation journal articles, aviation symposia published papers, expert witness primers, aviation magazine articles, internet articles

Aviation Law Editor/Writer, AVWEB.COM Internet NewsWire and Magazine

Chapter Author for Matthew Bender, James Publishing, and McGraw Hill Professional Reference books

Author, Advanced Settlement Negotiations, Handbook for Attorneys, California Continuing Education of the Bar

Mr. Kolczynski has been a keynote speaker, special subject lecturer, radio show commentator, panel member, and faculty speaker at over 60 professional events on subjects involving Aviation Law, Expert Witness Procedures, Product Liability Law, Creative Dispute Resolution, Federal Litigation, Ethics in Litigation, Criminalization in Aviation, Advanced Deposition Techniques, and Government Litigation

Admissions to the Bar

Admitted to the State of California (1984)

Admitted to the State of Ohio (1977)

Admitted to the District of Columbia (1978)

Admitted to practice before 14 Federal District Courts

Admitted to practice before 4 Federal Appellate Courts

Admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court

Eligible to practice in all federal and state courts

Honors and Achievements

• "AV" rating by Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register, the highest possible rating awarded annually based on confidential peer evaluation
• Named "Super Lawyer," Transportation (aviation) and Business Litigation (2005, 2006) by the publishers of Law and Politics Magazine: chosen after extensive research by Law and Politics Magazine, including surveying more that 65,000 practicing lawyers in Los Angeles and Orange counties
• Preeminent Attorney, Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register - Aviation
• Former Chair, American Bar Association, Aviation Litigation National Institute
• Founder and annual speaker, Southwestern Regional Annual Aviation Law Symposium
• Former Chair, Aviation Section, Orange County Bar Association
• Board of Advisors, Aviation CCH Publishing Company

Education

Case Western Reserve School of Law:    Cleveland, Ohio

• Accelerated Doctor of Jurisprudence (1976)
• Published Notes Editor, Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law
• Selected Jessup International Moot Court Team

U.S. Naval Aviator Flight School: Pensacola, FL and Beeville, Texas

• Graduated 1971
• Selected for advanced jet training if F-4 Phantom II

Marquette University: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Bachelor of Arts, Major: Psycholoty (1969)
• Navy ROTC full scholarship

Government Experience

United States Justice Department (DOJ), Washington, D.C. (1980-1983)

• Lead Trial Attorney, Civil Division, Aviation/Admiralty Unit
• Trial Attorney: defending the U.S. Government and its officials.  Personally responsible for the negotiation, settlement, trial and appeal of multiple party, large exposure air crash cases.  Airline, Military General Aviation and Admiralty litigation in Federal Courts throughout the United States
• Special Achievement Awards for Superior Trial Results (1980, 1981)

Trial Procedure Instructor:                      Attorney General's Trial Advocacy Institute, Washington, D.C.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Washington, D.C. (1977-1978)

• Trial Attorney, Litigation Division, Office of Chief Counsel; Responsible for aviation accident analysis, FAA defense, and airmen license enforcement litigation

Military Officer Experience

• JAG Lawyer, Major, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, U.S. Naval Justice School Graduate (1980)
• Pilot-in-Command, multi-engine transport aircraft (1973-1974); Performed V.I.P. personnel and cargo transport in the Orient
• Pilot-in-Command of F-4 Phantom II Jet Fighter (1971-1973); Performed jet fighter training and operational reconnaissance missions
• Naval Aviator, U.S. Marine Corps Captain, active flight duty (1969-1974)

FAA Pilot's License and Pilot-in-Command Experience

Private, Commercial, Instrument, single-engine and multi-engine.  Over 1,000 hours flight time, military and civilian: single and dual engine jet, large multi-engine, light single and twin engine aircraft.

Consulting and Expert Witness Experiences

• Consulted as retained advisor to non-aviation lawyers, on numerous aviation law cases
• Expert Witness, testifying in deposition and trial on interpretation of the Federal Aviation Regulations, Aviation Industry Standards and Aviation Attorney Professional Standards of Care

[ Up ] [ Roger W. Clark ] [ Robert D. Goldberg ] [ Thomas M. Madruga ] [ Lawrence F. Karp ] [ Phillip J. Kolczynski ]
 

11400 W. Olympic Boulevard, Suite 1150, Los Angeles, CA 90064
310-478-0077   |   Fax 310-478-0099   |   info@clarkgoldberg.com

118 N. Gadsden Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301 | 850-222-1425