Domenico Marino, ’04, is a McGeorge School of Law alumnus, who practices in the aviation field in Martina Franca, Italy.
1. Domenico, the aviation industry is a very specialized field. How did you become interested in that area of law?
It was actually while I was studying at McGeorge School of Law. I took a class called International Business Transactions with Professor Kojo Yelpaala, and I found that area of law very intriguing. So I went to visit Kojo during office hours and told him that I was thinking of practicing in that field after graduation, and he asked me “For which industry?” I had never thought about that, I had always thought I would work for a firm and serve several industries. But then, it dawned upon me that the industry I am most passionate about is aviation. I then did some research and found that there is a whole body of law around aviation, from accident litigation, to leasing and financing of aircraft, to air service authorization and other regulatory and international treaty issues. It just seemed like a natural fit for me.
2. Please describe some of the legal issues that you have found the most intriguing in the aviation field.
I am a regulatory lawyer because I find that specific area incredibly fascinating and most useful. I worked at the UK Civil Aviation Authority in London for five years (the British equivalent of the US Federal Aviation Administration), and I have supported several aviation authorities around the globe, particularly in the Middle East. Most of my focus is on aviation safety and how the law supports it. There is a very specialized area called safety information protection, and I am one of very few recognized experts in this field. It’s all about building a just culture so that those who commit innocent mistakes are encouraged to report them in order that the regulator can learn from them before an accident happens. I have seen a direct correlation between just culture and good safety records. That’s why this is so near to my heart.
Early in my career, I dealt with air crash litigation and didn’t like it. I believe that my time is of better use to prevent accidents before they happen. I also enjoy treaty negotiation which enables new flights between countries as I believe that connectivity is the gateway to peace and understanding. As the aviation industry faces new challenges such as carbon emission reduction and airspace management, I look forward to working hard to address these too.
3. You live and practice in Italy. What was your pathway from law school at McGeorge School of Law to practice in Italy?
Well my full name is Domenico Carlo Marino, so my Italian ancestry has a lot to do with it. I grew up in an Italian family, and even though I was born and raised in New York, we were very much raised in the Italian tradition. My mother’s father encouraged my love of Italy, as he would bring me back to Italy with him. That’s also where my appreciation of aviation came from. So after working with McGeorge for a couple years after graduation on a California State contract, I got hired by a boutique aviation law firm in Los Angeles called Dwyer, Daly, Brotzen and Bruno.
After a few years I applied for the job at the Civil Aviation Authority in London (at that time Italian citizens could work in London without restrictions), and then I became an independent consultant to aviation authorities in 2016 which is what I’ve been doing ever since. I can be based anywhere in the world, so I chose to come back to Italy and travel as needed from here. I spend a lot of time on planes and in foreign countries, which is something I love about my job. While it is true that law is generally a local profession as in-court practice is dependent on membership of a bar or law society, aviation law is a big exception to this. Many aviation lawyers are members of a bar or law society far away from where they actually practice. So I never let that be a barrier to practicing in Italy or anywhere else. To this day, my only bar admission is California and it has never been an issue.
4. What courses and other activities did you enjoy the most at McGeorge?
I loved my international law courses, both public and private international law, but also international sales of goods, international advocacy and of course international business transactions. But I also liked criminal law and criminal procedure as well, even though I had no interest in practicing in that field. The best activity at McGeorge was the summer in Salzburg, which I did during the summer of 2004. I didn’t really join many other activities because I was also working full time. But I remember those days as one of the best times of my life, and I only wish I appreciated it as much then as I do now.
5. How interested are you in keeping engaged with McGeorge and the broader community of alumni in international practices? What type of content or activities do you think would interest you and other international alumni?
I’m very interested. I’m always happy to connect with other alumni and McGeorge, but I rarely find myself in Sacramento which makes it a bit difficult. Also, it’s hard to plan to attend organized events because my schedule often changes at short notice. I feel like this newsletter fills an important gap for those of us who can’t often attend organized events and find ourselves far from Sacramento. And it’s good to learn about the other alumni who practice internationally, as I feel like it could generate a genuine interest in meeting up again or getting to know new people with similar interests and practice areas.
If you would like to be in touch with Dom, you can reach him at dom@dommarino.com.