John Tobin Van Geffen

John Tobin Van Geffen

5.0
Rating: 9.0

Licensed for 19 years

Aviation Lawyer at San Francisco, CA
Practice Areas: Aviation, Business, Litigation ... +2 more

465 California St Ste 210, San Francisco, CA

About John

Biography

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Aviation 25%

Aviation Litigation; Acquisitions & Disposition; Maintenance Repair; Airport matters; 'through-the-fence" agreements; Financing Leasing; Environmental Impact Studies; Insurance; Tax; Registration; Defense of FAA enforcement actions; HAZMAT violations and certificate actions against carriers, MROs, pilots and mechanics. Proprietary business data protections; trademarks, copyrights and patent infringement; bankruptcy proceedings.

20 years | 70 cases

25%
Business 20%

15 years

20%
Litigation 20%

15 years

20%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes

Hourly Rates

$ 250-500 per hour

Contingency

15%-40%

Retainer

Sometimes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in California for 19 years

State: California

Acquired: 2006

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Avialex Law Group, LLP

465 California St Ste 210, San Francisco, CA, 94104

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

John Tobin Van Geffen's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

5 Client Reviews

5 star (5)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (0)

Posted by anonymous | September 23, 2019 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Thorough AND efficient

John is an expert well beyond aviation law. He helped me set up my LLC and has been a constant source of insight and expertise on other legal matters. I've referred many people to him and will continue to do so moving forward.

Posted by Robert | September 19, 2019 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Consistently Achieved Desired Results

I hired Mr Van Geffen for services in several areas of need. Over time, my expectations were met or exceeded by both the results and his performance. Most of that work involved favorable lease negotiations and successful contract disputes. More recently, his litigation strategy proved to appropriatel...y patient, though I disagreed with it early in the process. I'm just glad it worked out. Overall, I was completely satisfied with the results and would recommend him.

Posted by Adam | September 19, 2019 | Consulted Attorney

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Outstanding, Clear Communication, Made Life Easier

I worked with John on a number of projects, mostly some consulting around setting up my business. John was clear about how different filings would impact my day-to-day and advised me on setup and execution of my LLC. He also went above and beyond in reviewing contracts I had with a number of media pa...rtners and made the process of operationalizing my consulting practice very easy. Would absolutely recommend and plan on working with him regularly going forward.

Posted by anonymous | June 5, 2018 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

When specialized aviation experience is needed look no further

I have been working with Mr. Van Geffen on a very specific aviation employment issue for over a year now. As a licensed aircraft mechanic my number one priority was to find an attorney who had the experience to understand not just employment law but the intricacies of aviation law as well. Those atto...rneys are hard to come by. Mr. Van Geffen has exceeded my expectation of professionalism and knowledge. He has made me feel comfortable throughout the entire case. Not more than a few weeks would pass that he would update me on something, or he would just check in to make sure nothing had changed. Working in a multijurisdictional environment has been confusing for someone without any law experience, but Mr Van Geffen has always had an answer to my question and knew exactly how to plot our course of action. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone, and I will always consult with him on aviation issues in the future.

Posted by Dan | November 23, 2011

Priceless guidance on small business liability!

Mr. Van Geffen assisted me in the operational overhaul of my small web design firm in 2010, ImageMC, Inc. Having incorporated nearly 10 years ago and seeing changes both to the industry and my business model as a result, I felt that there were new risks; I needed experienced guidance on how to proce...ed in regards to my corporate setup, appropriate legal representation, client contracts and general business operations. Mr. Van Geffen was an invaluable asset in defining our new course, and I *highly* recommend him for any legal consult.

See All Client Reviews

John Tobin Van Geffen's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse John
Allison Beth Surowitz headshot
Allison Surowitz

Litigation lawyer | Jun 05

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Mr. Van Geffen is a superb attorney. He is a true advocate for his clients. I would have no hesitation recommending clients to him."

Erik W Nicholson headshot
Erik Nicholson

Aviation lawyer | Sep 26

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Excellent attorney. I recommend his services to anyone in need."

Christian K. Lassen II headshot
Christian Lassen

Unknown lawyer | Aug 08

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community."

View All Endorsements
Erik W Nicholson headshot
Erik Nicholson

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.0 (Superb)

Honors

2006

Best Brief, Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition

Work Experience

2018 - Present

Partner, Avialex Law Group, LLP

2007 - 2018

Associate, Michael L. Dworkin and Associates

2006 - 2007

Associate Attorney, Hanna & Brophy

2005 - 2005

Certified Law Clerk, Santa Clara Public Defender's Office

Associations

2018 - Present

International Air Transportation Safety Bar Association

International Aviation Moot Court Director & Subcommittee Chair

2017 - Present

Emery Unified School Dist. Citizen Oversight Committee (Parcel Tax)

Chair

2011 - Present

Oakland Aviation Museum

Board Member

2010 - Present

International Air & Transportation Safety Bar Association

Western-Pacific Regional Vice President

2009 - Present

The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI)

Affiliate Member

2008 - 2009

National Transportation Safety Board Bar Association

Newsletter Editor-in-Chief

2005 - 2006

Santa Clara High Tech Law Journal

Technical Editor

2005 - 2006

Phi Alpha Delta

Justice (Chapter President)

2003 - 2006

Santa Clara School of Law

Emory Law Scholar

Sample of Legal Cases

Bosnian Wand Airlines v. LLFC Aircraft Fund I, LLC, et al

Obtained a judgment against Defendant

Commissions Import Export S.A. v. Republic of the Congo

Case removed to different District Court.

Pepper NA, Inc. v. Netpartnering Limited, et al.

Obtained an $860,000 verdict against Defendant

Silver Eagle Aviation v. Propjet Aviation

Obtained a settlement.

Global Exec Aviation v. Lenny Dykstra

Defendant filed Bankruptcy.

Transpacific v. Primaris Airlines

See More Legal Cases

Education

2006

Santa Clara Univ SOL

law

2003

Penn State Univ

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2014

San Francisco Bar Association

Drafting and Implementing Emergency Response Plans for Aircraft Disasters

2012

Luncheon keynote speaker.

The Dos and Don’ts of Responding to FAA Enforcement Actions

2007

AOPA - Pilot Safety Seminar

Defending against FAA enforcement actions

Publications

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution