New Association Supports Global Cycling Industry With Legal Education,
Assistance and Advocacy
Washington DC, September 18, 2009 The International Cycling Law Association (ICLA) launched today with a mission to educate global cycling companies (big and small) about the myriad of laws and legal issues affecting their business. The ICLA is dedicated to promoting the understanding, effective use of, and change of laws and regulations affecting the cycling industry.
The goal of the ICLA is to provide cycling industry leaders affordable legal education, pro bono legal assistance referrals, and targeted community outreach and advocacy. The ICLA provides high value publications, workshops, conferences, meetings, and online resources, including this website. In 2010, the ICLA will hold its first annual legal conference to address the most pressing legal issues and legislation affecting the cycling industry. In addition, the ICLA has a pro bono referral program for qualified start-up cycling companies and non-profit organizations focused on relevant cycling issues. The ICLA also advocates key legal and safety issues affecting the industry. The ICLA’s slogan is "bridge the gap", which reflects its core aim to help the cycling industry access and understand the array of laws that affect it and, ultimately, govern its success.
“We are very excited about this group,” said its founder, Eric Fingerhut, an avid road, mountain and commuting cyclist and partner with the prominent Washington, DC law firm of Howrey LLP. “We see our mission to help all stakeholders in the bicycle industry better understand the importance of legal compliance, to fill various legal information gaps that currently exist, and to bring together companies and legal counsel who share a passion for cycling. We are well-positioned as lawyers and cycling enthusiasts to do just that.” Fingerhut added that laws such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have resulted in unprecedented money being invested to ensure and promote safe cycling. “As more money is invested in cycling, there will be more rules and regulations governing the industry. For example, whether an electronic bike is legally classified as a bicycle or light electric vehicle, a debate taking place in Europe right now, will significantly affect how these products are sold in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere.” ICLA’s founder also noted the cycling industry has been burned by such disparate legal issues as intellectual property protection and enforcement, consumer products safety, and taxation, all of which require the cycling industry’s attention. “Cycling companies should know how to protect their intellectual property and appreciate risks of failing to do so,” Fingerhut said. “The ICLA is assembling a formidable pool of talent from the international legal and cycling worlds to fill this need for legal education. The association is a value-oriented cycling law platform for exchanging information via forums, quarterly electronic newsletters, conferences, webinars, online discussions, and old-school communications and networking.”
In the Open Letter to the Cycling Industry, founder Fingerhut recently wrote:
“There are more than 2,000 companies in the American cycling industry alone—a $ 6 billion dollar business, according to the most recent National Sporting Goods Association study. Bicycle companies range in size from household names…to small and exciting startups… As the general public continues to embrace the health, environmental and economic benefits of cycling, more companies will emerge and hopefully thrive. ”
“All cycling companies, regardless of size, need to understand and take advantage of the laws and regulations that impact their business operations, marketing and sales. While there is no shortage of membership groups that advocate for individual cyclists or increasing sales, there never has been an industry association focused on educating cycling companies on important laws and regulations affecting their industry. Now, there is.”
The entire Open Letter is available at: http://www.cyclinglaw.org/open_letter.html. The ICLA will be formally introduced to the cycling industry at next week’s Interbike trade show in Las Vegas.Contact: Eric Fingerhut
Telephone: 202.383.6804
Email: eric.fingerhut@cyclinglaw.org
Twitter: @cyclinglaw