Arthur Wolk Air Safety Expert

Arthur's personal aviation experience is extensive. He has been a pilot for more than 30 years and holds the Federal Aviation Administration's highest pilot's certificate - Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) - for multi-engine land and sea aircraft. He is one of a handful of pilots holding a Letter of Authorization for the F9F-2 Panther jet fighter. He has thousands of hours of flight experience and has flown in air shows throughout the country.

He was selected for the Flight of the Grumman Cats as Cat 5 in recognition of his flying skill, a position he held for 11 years. The FAA consistently conferred a low level aerobatic and formation air show waiver based on Arthur's performance as a pilot.

In 1996, the Panther jet he was flying developed engine trouble on a flight from Kalamazoo, Michigan and Arthur crashed off the airport, guiding his crippled aircraft away from populated areas. Now recovered from his injuries, Arthur is uniquely aware of what the flight crew experiences in an airplane crash and the human and mechanical factors that contribute to it. That experience, although tragic, gives him a perspective like no other in air crash litigation.

As a result of his seasoned courtroom skills, aviation industry savvy and technical aircraft knowledge, Arthur has been named to the steering committees of every major airline disaster in which The Wolk Law Firm has represented victims. Such notable cases include: United Airlines 232, Sioux City, Iowa, DC-10; United Airlines 585, Colorado Springs, CO, B-737; USAir 427, Aliquippa, PA., Pittsburgh, B-737; Comair 3272, Monroe, MI, (Detroit), EMB-120; Swissair 111, Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, MD-11; EgyptAir 990, near Nantucket, MA, Boeing 767; and Alaska Air 261, Port Mugu, CA, MD-83.

Temple University's Beasley School of Law recently honored Philadelphia aviation attorney and Temple Law alumnus Arthur Alan Wolk ('68) at its annual Founders Day reception. Wolk received the honor, presented to a most distinguished graduate, for his achievements as a lawyer, and for bringing honor and recognition to the law school. It is one of the highest distinctions the law school can confer on one of its graduates. Wolk, who also received his undergraduate degree from Temple ('65), is an adjunct professor of law teaching the school's first course in aviation law and a frequent guest lecturer.

Founding partner of The Wolk Firm, Wolk is renowned for his work to advance aviation safety and is considered one of the world's leading authorities on aircraft accidents, consistently listed in Who's Who in Aviation Law. For more than 35 years, the firm has been involved in the litigation of virtually every major airline and thousands of smaller airplane accidents, with Wolk personally generating verdicts and settlements of nearly $1 billion during the last decade alone.

"For the skills, knowledge and integrity he has demonstrated during his nearly life-long association with Temple and for his illustrious legal career, it is fitting that we honor Arthur with our highest award," said Robert J. Reinstein, Dean of Temple Law School.

A skilled pilot for more than three decades, Wolk frequently lectures on aviation law and has appeared as an aviation expert for ABC's "Nightline," CBS Evening News, NBC, CNN, the BBC and numerous other television and radio stations around the world. A former legal editor for aviation publications, he is regularly consulted and quoted by aviation writers.

Founders Day award recipients include honorees from each school and college at Temple. This year's university-wide recognition dinner was hosted by WPVI-TV news anchor David Murphy.