Spear’s 500 — 2023 Recommendations for Aviation Lawyers
Aerlex President Stephen Hofer Named One of Top Recommended
Aviation Lawyers in the World by Spear’s Magazine
For the second consecutive year, Stephen Hofer, President and founder of the Los Angeles-based Aerlex Law Group, has been named as one of the “Top Recommended Aviation & Yachts Lawyers in the World” by Spear Publishing Ltd., a leading wealth management and luxury lifestyle publisher based in London, England.
Hofer’s inclusion in this prestigious group was announced during an awards ceremony and press conference held in London on May 24th, the same day that the 2023 edition of the Spear’s 500 was published online. A total of 28 aviation and yacht lawyers worldwide were named by Spear’s as highly recommended; only seven of these attorneys practice in the United States.
The Spear’s 500 listings are intended to serve as a valuable tool for ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWs) and enable them to identify private client advisers and top service providers who can help them meet their unique needs. A total of 2,211 wealth managers, advisors, attorneys and accountants worldwide were identified by Spear’s in such fields as lifestyle and passion investments, wealth and investing, private equity, alternative assets, real property, tax and offshore, business and entrepreneurship, health and wellness, and home and design.
The listing of the Spear’s 500 Aviation and Yacht Lawyers is available at https://spearswms.com/luxury/best-aviation-yacht-lawyers-high-net-worth-individuals/ and will also appear in a print edition to be released this coming January with an anticipated circulation of 18,000 copies and a readership of 100,000.
The Spear’s 500 Aviation Legal Awards recognizes excellence in the aviation legal industry and showcases top-flight and highly recommended leading attorneys worldwide. The awards aim to identify and honor the best lawyers and law firms in the aviation sector, covering a range of specialties including finance, regulation, litigation, and commercial transactions.
As Spear’s pointed out in its announcement, aircraft ownership comes with a multitude of challenges for UHNWs. From the negotiation and arrangement on the purchase of these luxury assets to legal considerations of day-to-day ownership, there are many issues that must be addressed. A specialty lawyer with experience in aviation can help their UHNW clients avoid pitfalls and fulfil their obligations throughout the lifecycle of these big-ticket items, including the drafting of contracts, development of ownership structures, aircraft registration, and resolution of disputes, as well as operational aspects such as insurance, aircraft management and commercial considerations.
Describing the Aerlex founder and President, Spear’s wrote: “Stephen Hofer is often called the ‘aviation attorney to the stars’ and he has represented more than 100 actors, Oscar and Grammy winners, sports stars and other celebrities. Hofer founded the California-based aviation and business firm Aerlex in 2005, and has since overseen hundreds of aircraft transactions.”
Spear’s annual rankings are developed by an independent panel of industry experts and are assembled on the basis of peer nominations, client feedback, telephone and face-to-face interviews, data supplied by firms, and information gathered by the Spear’s editorial and research teams. Inclusion and rankings are merit-based and not influenced in any way by commercial relationships.
Stephen Hofer continues to enjoy worldwide recognition for his legal expertise in the private aviation industry. He has been selected by Thomson Reuters as a Southern California Super Lawyer for 14 consecutive years and has been recognized by Lawyers of Distinction every year since 2017. Chambers and Partners has chosen Hofer and Aerlex Law Group for inclusion in its International Guide for High Net Worth Individuals for seven straight years. Hofer has served as a member of the National Business Aviation Association’s Tax Committee and the NBAA Regulatory Issues Advisory Group and has been the legal columnist for Business Air magazine. He also has been interviewed and quoted regarding aviation law and aircraft business matters in numerous publications, including Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal.