Erik Beard, Icae Email & Phone Number

Avon, Connecticut

Avon, Connecticut

Serve as General Counsel and a Managing Member of International Ride Training LLC. Oversee and direct all legal needs of the company. Work with IRT clients on IROC certifications and audits,consult on rose upwind best practices and ASTM compliance. Creator of ADA FAQ: Disability Training for the Attractions Industry.

Hartford, Connecticut

•Represented various aviation airframe and component part manufacturers in product liability litigation arising from aviation accidents. . Representative matters include representation of a major aviation engine manufacturer in a six-week wrongful death and personal injury jury trial in Portland, Oregon arising from the deadliest fire-fighting aviation accident in U.S. history; representation of helicopter manufacturer in product liability and warranty litigation arising from loss of aircraft during logging operations in Idaho; representation of component part manufacturer in litigation arising from crash of military aircraft during reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan.• Counsel regional amusement parks, attractions, amusement trade associations, and amusement industry consultants throughout the country on a variety of issues including compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, document retention and destruction policies, ride safety and general operating procedures. Representative matters include: drafted proposed amusement ride regulations on behalf of a major carnival trade association for the Connecticut Department of Public Safety; drafted and reviewed service contracts for amusement industry suppliers and consultants; counseled amusement parks and industry consultants regarding training programs and materials; counseled amusement and hospitality industry clients on marketing and advertising issues, including potential issues arising under state and federal sweepstakes and antitrust law; counseled aquatic safety product manufacturer on risk assessment associated with bringing new products to market; drafted comments to the Federal Aviation Administration on proposed rules for unmanned aviation systems as a member of the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions’ North American Government Relations SubCommittee.

Hartford, Connecticut Area

Hartford, Connecticut Area

• Represented commercial clients in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal court at the trial and appellate level. Areas of practice included real estate and business tort litigation, media / First Amendment litigation, real and personal property taxation disputes, civil rights defense, consumer credit litigation, landlord-tenant litigation, and bankruptcy litigation.• Representative matters included primary representation of local media in several defamation actions in Connecticut Superior Court; lead trial counsel and second chair appellate counsel in a commission dispute between commercial real estate brokers; second chair trial counsel in complex commercial summary process eviction and injunctive action; lead counsel for major regional religious organization for all property tax matters; representation of mid-size regional law firm in legal malpractice case; representation of major personal computer manufacturer in multi-million dollar contract dispute with reseller; representation of large insurance companies in multiple commercial arbitration proceedings.• Managed all product liability, commercial litigation, asbestos litigation, and personal injury litigation as “on-loan” in-house attorney for Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corporation, from November 2007 through February 2008. Duties included coordination with in-house staff and outside counsel, deposition preparation, formulation of litigation strategy, management of litigation budget, as well as other administrative functions as needed.

Kansas City, Missouri Area

• Responsible for interviewing, hiring, training, leadership development, recognition, discipline, budgeting, and cost controls for a staff of approximately 500 seasonal employees and a full-time assistant manager operating forty-one ride locations and five Park Services departments. • Tracked and analyzed daily, weekly, and yearly efficiency and budgetary statistics to ensure that year-end goals were exceeded.• Implemented new Employee Housing Subsidy program to attract a higher caliber seasonal employee and reduce turnover.• Served on corporate Ride Admission Policy and Signage Consistency committees to ensure standardization of policy and signage in all Cedar Fair, L.P. parks nationwide.

Sandusky, Ohio

• Developed and implemented employee activities and programs for 3000 seasonal employees six nights per week.• Edited and contributed articles for “Behind the Lines,” Cedar Point’s weekly employee newsletter.

Orlando, Florida Area

• Developed pre-opening training and operating procedures, emergency procedures, and budgets for the most technologically state of the art theme park in the world to date.• Coordinated with architects and project creative staff to ensure project objectives to theme, guest traffic flow, and ride and show operation were met to satisfaction.• Conducted initial commissioning and safety testing on each new ride and attraction before the park’s grand opening to ensure efficient and safe operation for park guests.

Sandusky, Ohio

J.D. (Magna Cum Laude), Law

Activities and Societies: Moot Court Board, George Mason Civil Rights Law Journal, Writing Fellow

B.A., Drama

Diploma