Sean Gates, Gates Aviation

Sean was appointed legal counsel of ERA with effect from 1st January 2014. Sean has specialized in aviation related law throughout his career and has been involved in more than 50 international aviation disasters through his career. From 1998 - 2013, he was Legal Adviser to the International Union of Aviation Insurers (IUAI), a trade association of the world’s leading aviation insurers. He represented the IUAI at the diplomatic conference resulting in the Montreal Convention of 1999 on carrier liability to passengers, at the diplomatic conference in Montreal for the Conventions on Surface Damage and at the legal committee meeting in 2013 discussing changes to the Tokyo Convention on Offences Committed on Board Aircraft 1963. 

Having been senior partner of Beaumont and Son and then Gates and Partners, Sean is now CEO of Gates Aviation Ltd which provides legal and operational support to aviation organizations, as well as dispute resolution, risk management, and disaster preparedness/response.  He is also Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs at Kenyon International Emergency Services, and legal adviser of the European Regions Airlines Association. Recent projects include arbitrating an aircraft lease finance dispute, disaster response advice for Chinese manufacturer, advising European insurer on liabilities arising from Space Products policy, and disaster response advice for European airline legal department.