Section of Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law

Welcome to the home page of the ABA's Section of Public Utility, Communications, and Transportation Law. The swift pace of change and development in the legal areas affecting energy, communications, transportation and water promises to continue.

The Section brings together members of the bar interested in the rapidly changing legal environment in the communications, cable TV, internet, electricity, gas, oil pipelines, aviation, motor carriers, railroads, and water industries. The third oldest Section in the ABA, the Section was established in 1917 when public interest demanded regulation of these fields. The Section currently has approximately 3,900 members, plus over 3,000 law students.

Current issues include legal developments reflecting deregulation, competition and technological advances. The Section has become increasingly concerned with legal issues arising in this atmosphere of change, including those brought on by the events of 9/11 and the Enron debacle. Issues such as:

• Competition in the communications industry in light of the 1996 Telecommunications Act
• Corporate governance past Enron
• Industries coping with terrorism
• Access to the gas transmission systems
• Restructuring of the electricity industry
• Fresh water shortages and protection of the water supply
• Setting of competitive transportation rates

Many of these issues involve trends that affect all the industries, which leads to useful and effective comparative analyses. All lawyers whose practice involves aspects of the gas, electric, communications, water or transportation industries find the Section's activities of interest. In addition to the administrative committees, the Section has nineteen substantive committees.