Lawyers Explain Niche Areas of Law: Aviation, Equine, and Gaming
Olivia Marcoccia ‘27
There are hundreds of different sub-avenues and types of law. Some types, like criminal defense, family lawyers, and prosecutors, are paid more attention to in the media than others, making them well-known. It is important to highlight the more specialized, lesser-known avenues of law. Three professionals, with extensive experience in their fields, offered to share their perspective.
Aviation Law
Aviation lawyers work in the highly regulated world of aircraft. This includes the operation of planes, maintenance of planes, airport facilities, air traffic management, foreign relations related to aviation, and airline operations.
Katherine Aldrich was immersed in Aviation law for over fifteen years. Aldrich began her legal career in 1988 when she was offered a job as a law clerk during her second year at Georgetown Law at a firm that primarily represented aviation interests. After graduating in 1991, Aldrich stayed with that firm until moving to Okinawa, Japan, in 2004, transitioning to working for the Department of the Navy Office of General Counsel. After an extensive career, Aldrich retired as the deputy counsel for the U.S. Marine Corps Commandant in 2023. Now, she spends her time serving as the vice chair of the Board of Trustees at Salve Regina University and boating with her husband.
There are two broad categories of aviation law: liability (accidents) and business or regulatory. Aldrich's firm handled the lesser-known latter. The business of aviation includes buying and selling planes, leasing planes, working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and much more. The types of aviation law cases are dependent on the client. Each one can differ from the last. Aldrich describes representing corporate flight departments, American and foreign carriers, and airports. When corporate flight departments, American carriers, and airports are the client, cases often involve reviewing FAA and regulatory standards to ensure client compliance, drafting or upholding contracts, or working to gain government permit authorization.
Cases can become more complicated when foreign entities are included. Aldrich explained a case she had worked on to exemplify these complications: "A couple of times, I worked on some transactions for the Export-Import Bank of the United States, which was our client. The United States wanted to sell some of these aircraft to foreign airlines…but they were not as creditworthy as Boeing, for example, would like. So the Export-Import Bank helped provide the financing for these foreign entities to buy the U.S. aircraft. These were very complex transactions because they involved the airplane manufacturer, the foreign airline, the insurance companies, the reinsurance companies, etc." To show what the day-to-day of an aviation lawyer might look like, Aldrich also described how her time was spent in that specific case. "I was reading hundreds of pages of contracts and insurance documents, reading them five ways to Sunday. The big negotiations had already taken place, so I had to document the deal, and document it correctly," she says. Due to the vastly different matters that arise, aviation law is difficult to explain in general terms. Aldrich describes this by saying, "You could be working on a tax matter in the morning and then going down to the FAA to handle a totally different issue there." What can be said, on the business side of aviation, is that this takes place mostly behind the desk. There are certainly aviation lawyers who spend a majority of their time in court, but those tend to be the lawyers representing cases of accidents in air travel.
Aviation lawyers agree that this type of law is extremely detail-oriented. That factors into the skills best suited for this niche: organized, analytic, and patient people tend to be most successful in this field. Aldrich adds that this job comes with pressure. She says, "Depending on the case you are working on, there could be a safety component. So that can cause some pressure that you need to be able to handle." She goes on to say that aspiring aviation lawyers need to be able to multitask and be skilled in "all of the basic areas of legal practice." This advice refers back to the various cases and clients that aviation lawyers represent.
The future looks bright for aviation law. The fractional jet market, meaning people who buy shares in private jets, is experiencing rapid growth. According to an Aircraft Fractional Ownership Market Research Report, it is estimated to reach a value of $23 billion by 2033. Outside of that market, the general need for airplanes doesn't seem to be decreasing any time soon. Currently, EAS (European Aviation School) Barcelona says that about 100,000 flights occur per day worldwide. Anyone interested in this field should pursue it. In Aldrich's experience, "It was a very fulfilling career."
Equine Law
Equine law is any legal proceeding that primarily involves horses. It is not limited to either litigation or transactional; many equine lawyers practice both. One of those lawyers is Jessica Johnson. Johnson's youth was filled with animals. Johnson spent her weekends traveling to American Kennel Club (AKC) shows with her mother, a dog obedience instructor. Inevitably, she, too, fell in love with animals. She found a special love for horses. Johnson began riding when she was eight years old. Originally, Johnson went into law to support this fulfilling, but expensive, passion. Johnson has been a practicing lawyer for over a decade. In that time, she has learned how to merge her passion with her career. Johnson started her own firm, Jessica E. Johnson, PLLC, in 2018. She works from Washington and specializes in equine law, canine law, and Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Johnson describes equine law as "general practice law with an emphasis on horses." Equine lawyers represent a diverse range of clients, from individual horse owners to professional riders, and small barns to large facilities. The case varies with each client. Equine lawyers frequently handle cases that involve tort law, business law, or criminal law. Even though they take a vast range of cases, equine lawyers aren't expected to know the ins and outs of every area of law. Johnson says, "It's best to know what you don't know." If she takes a case that ends up reaching into areas outside of her expertise, she knows it is her ethical duty to refer her clients to an attorney with more specialized knowledge.
Since cases in equine law differ so vastly, the day-to-day of the lawyers tends to differ, too. Johnson is no exception. Her day is hard to simplify, but it can involve attending hearings in court, responding to client inquiries, working on contracts, and consulting with clients. In Johnson's opinion, the diversity of the job is what makes it so enjoyable: "I like the diversity. It's about advocating for what I think is right, and different cases allow me to do that in different ways."
It takes many skills and traits to practice equine law. The most important, in Johnson's opinion, is being personable and understanding the equestrian world. Having insight into what clients are dealing with is the best way to develop trusting relationships in your practice. Without that equestrian experience, Johnson notes that it is "difficult to navigate that area of law and understand the types of risks that need to be mitigated and the types of issues that need to be addressed." Johnson advises those interested to focus on gaining a solid foundation in the core areas of law, such as contracts, property, and tort. These principles are consistently needed in equine cases. Overall, Johnson encourages anyone interested in equine law to try it. She anticipates the market will grow, while still remaining a niche area of law. Her predictions are not unfounded. The horse industry is economically impactful, generating about $100 billion a year in the United States. Still, there are areas in the US that do not have any practicing equine lawyers. Johnson, for example, has thought about getting her licensure in Idaho because there isn't anyone, at the time, for her to refer clients to.
Equine law is a good path for any lawyer who enjoys a changing schedule, understands the core areas of the law, and loves horses.
Gaming Law
Mark Poovey, a Charlotte resident, is an expert in gaming law. He is a part of a non-profit association of gaming attorneys, regulators, educators, executives, and consultants from around the world called “International Masters of Gaming Law” (IMGL). Gaming law, in Poovey's words, "is the body of law that allows 'gaming' to happen. 'Gaming' is three things: prize, chance, and consideration." Poovey has been in gaming law since the early '90s. He got involved in the field, coincidentally, when asked to examine the newly passed Indian Gaming Regulatory Act for a client. In 2019, Poovey opened his own firm where he solely practices gaming law.
Gaming law is predominantly state-regulated. Though the processes and laws vary between states, the standard practice of gaming lawyers remains the same. Gaming lawyers often help their clients with licenses since authorization is necessary for almost every part of gaming. For example, licenses are required to sell lottery tickets, supply slot machines, and operate any form of commercial gambling. Poovey describes a majority of his work as examining regulatory protocols, navigating political and cultural structure, and working with legislators to change the law. As for the daily routine of a gaming lawyer, Poovey says, "It usually involves going to different jurisdictions. There's a lot of travel. There is involvement in the legislative process. Often, I'm researching and understanding the laws of the new jurisdictions. Sometimes it's trial work."
Gaming is an ever-expanding field. Online casinos and sports betting are more popular than ever. Poovey has helped sports wagering companies get licensed, but that is the extent of his reach in the online-gaming world. He said, "Even though I don't have any internet-gaming clients, it's something I pay attention to because my clients are very interested in how that world affects their in-person casinos. My clients are, as we say, land-based. Land-based gaming." Most gaming lawyers, like Poovey, represent companies. Poovey described one example of what representing the corporations can look like: "There are cases where, for example, a customer of a casino will say, 'Actually, I won money on that slot machine, and it didn't pay me, and I'm mad.' For my clients, it's defending against claims like that." Prediction markets are also becoming a larger part of gaming. Many of the sports betting companies, like DraftKings and FanDuel, are getting into the prediction markets. With all of this advancement and change, Poovey is confident that the market for gaming lawyers will expand. He extended that statement by saying, "Not only subject matter-wise, but also geographically. For example, South Carolina. There's no land-based gaming in South Carolina except for the lottery. It's a very conservative state, so they just haven't wanted gambling in their state. Georgia has some kind of land-based gaming, but it's kind of skill-based. Basically, there's always new jurisdictions."
The qualifications recommended by Poovey to get into gaming law include studying esoteric subjects, being intuitive about people, and devotion. In Poovey's opinion, the most important part of the law journey, whether the goal is gaming law or not, is choosing a law school. "When you're going to law school, you need to ask yourself, 'Is this the right law school? Will it help me?' Figure out what you want to specialize in and find a law school that will help you do what you want to do."
Aviation, equine, and gaming are just three examples of the unique paths a law career can lead. Every profession and hobby operates under the law, meaning lawyers are needed in hundreds of different contexts. Law isn’t limited to the types that are shown on TV. It can be distinctive, uncommon, special, or even strange. Based on these three lawyers’ perspectives, a law career can, and should, be suited for an individual's interests. At the end of the day, it is important to enjoy what you practice.
Olivia Marcoccia is a junior majoring in English.
Sources
“How Many Planes Fly Per Day Around the World?” EAS Barcelona, June 16 2025. https://easbcn.com/en/how-many-planes-fly-per-day-around-the-world/.
Sharma, Raksha. “Aircraft Fractional Ownership Market Research Report 2033.” Market Intelo, August 24 2025. https://marketintelo.com/report/aircraft-fractional-ownership-market#:~:text=9.
