Sidley Austin LLP announced Jan. 5, that Louis P. Warchot has joined the firm’s transportation practice as counsel in its Washington, D.C. office. Warchot previously served as senior vice president – law and general counsel for the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
“In his position at the AAR, Lou has been a trusted advisor to the railroad industry for almost two decades,” said Ray Atkins, leader of Sidley’s Transportation group. “He has deep insights into the legal and policy issues facing the industry that complement our existing transportation lawyers, and we are delighted he is joining our team.”
During his lengthy tenure with the AAR, Warchot was involved in the development of legislative and regulatory policy and standard-setting measures for the safety and productivity of the U.S. rail industry. He also represented the rail industry in numerous matters involving the safety, operations and economic regulation of the railroads pending before government agencies, including the Surface Transportation Board, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Federal Communications Commission and Environmental Protection Agency.
Together with his work as counsel for railroads prior to working at the AAR, Warchot has four decades of experience providing legal advice on railroad economic regulation, safety and operations, environmental regulation, antitrust and federal preemption issues, as well as on corporate governance, compliance, finance and commercial matters.
“Lou joins our exceptional team of transportation lawyers here in Washington,” said Mark Hopson, managing partner of Sidley’s Washington D.C. office. “He brings a wealth of knowledge gained from counseling the railroad industry on legislative, regulatory and other legal matters. His arrival illustrates our continued commitment to providing our clients with a best-in-class transportation team.”
“I am excited to join Sidley’s talented group of transportation lawyers,” said Mr. Warchot. “I look forward to drawing on my experiences to help our clients achieve their strategic and commercial objectives.”
