Biography: Aviation

Laura M Safran, QC, is a partner in the firm's Calgary office and the head of the firm's national aviation law practice group.

Ms Safran held the position of vice president, law and corporate secretary of Canadian Airlines International. Since returning to private practice a number of years ago, she has represented a wide variety of aviation-industry clients, including fixed-wing and helicopter carriers, aircraft leasing companies, charterers, international aviation associations, foreign carriers, aviation underwriters, manufacturers, aircraft maintenance and repair facilities, aviation employee associations and aircraft financiers in a variety of aviation law matters, including aircraft purchases, sales, leases and financings, airport-related issues, aviation safety issues, aviation claims work, aviation employment issues, airline operational matters, fractional ownership issues, Canadian aviation regulatory issues (including licensing and certification) and international air law issues.

Recently, Ms Safran completed the update to the Canadian Encyclopedia Digest (4th edition) on Aviation (Carswell), the first update since 1998. She also was the sole contributor from Canada to Aviation Law, Getting the Deal Through for a number of years. Ms Safran taught Aviation Law at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law and has been a contributor and speaker at numerous legal seminars and symposiums in Canada and internationally.

Ms Safran is consistently noted as a leading lawyer by all of the noteworthy legal directories, including the Guide to the World's Leading Aviation Lawyers and Lexpert. She has also been named as one of Canada's Most Powerful Women (2004) by the WEN and Globe and Mail and as one of the Leading Women Lawyers in Canada (2009) by Lexpert.