Several WilmerHale attorneys collectively contributed to the recently launched Cologne Compendium on Air Law in Europe. The Compendium, written by more than 80 contributors, combines the elements of a treatise and a commentary and outlines the legal basis for the regulation of aviation in various European countries. The book is the product of a collaboration among WilmerHale, Deutsche Lufthansa AG and the Institute of Air and Space Law of the University of Cologne.

A commemorative event at the Koln/Bonn International Airport was held today for the launch of the book and to recognize those who contributed time and effort to its completion. In attendance at the event were the Compendium’s three co-editors: David Heffernan, chair of WilmerHale’s Aviation Practice Group; Nicolai von Ruckteschell, senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance and corporate officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG; and Prof. Dr. Stephan Hobe, director of the Institute of Air and Space Law for the University of Cologne.

WilmerHale attorneys who contributed to the book—in addition to Heffernan—included Partner Dr. Sven B. Völcker, Counsel Ruediger Schuett, Senior Associate Alexander Israel, Senior Staff Attorney Sabine Neumann and numerous others who provided in-depth research, editing and German-to-English content translation.

Völcker, Schuett and Israel, members of WilmerHale’s Antitrust and Competition, Aviation and European Union Regulatory Practice Groups, authored a chapter of the book titled "European Merger Control."

Neumann, a member of the firm's Antitrust and Competition Group, authored the "Codeshare" chapter and also assisted in translating and editing other articles for the Compendium. Neumann joined Heffernan at today’s book launch event.

The Compendium provides a comprehensive overview on the legal situation of the most topical problems of air law throughout the world and especially in Europe. It is based on the three-volume Kolner Kompendium des Luftrechts, which was published on a cooperative basis by the Institute of Air and Space Law of the University of Cologne and Deutsche Lufthansa AG in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The compendium will serve as a guide for students and legal practitioners in the various sub-specialties of air law.