Los Angeles, California
phone (888) 406-6726
fax (310) 820-7444
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John Greaves has represented hundreds of airline accident victims in more than 35 airline disasters. He has been part of Baum Hedlund's aviation team since joining the firm in the early 1990s.
John is an airline transport pilot and a former Captain for Comair. He has over 10,000 hours total flight time since 1966 and over 3,000 hours as a Captain in Part 121 and Part 135 scheduled airline operations.
As a licensed pilot for more than 40 years, he spent five years as a pilot in scheduled airlines service, four years of which were in the capacity of captain. Details of his pilot experience include Comair Airlines, Captain; Wright Airlines, First Officer; Aero-Mech Airlines, First Officer; and Air Illinois, First Officer. As an airline captain, John supervised flight and ground crews, ensured compliance with all FAA operations and maintenance regulations, documents and inspections. He served six years as a Flight Instructor and four years as a Charter Pilot and Charter Company Operator. He was Operator/President/CEO of VIP Pilot, Inc. He was Contract Administration Committee Chairman for the Air Line Pilots Association, Council 37. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Air Line Pilots Association, Council 37.
John has served on several plaintiffs' steering committees overseeing airline accidents involving multi-district litigation.
Mr. Greaves is also a member of the American Bar Association - Forum on Air and Space Law, The American Association for Justice, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association, Air Line Pilots Association.
John was appointed to the following Plaintiff Steering Committees:
- Bar Admissions:

- District of Columbia, 2001
- Missouri, 2004
- Iowa, 1992
- California, 1994
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa, 1992
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1994
- U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1995
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 1995
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 1995
- U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, 1996
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2000
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 2002
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 2002
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1995
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1995
- U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1995
U.S. District Court, Western District of New York, 2009
- Education:
- Drake University Law School, Des Moines, Iowa, 1992, J. D. with honors
Drake University College of Business and Public Administration, Des Moines,
Iowa, 1992, M.P.A.
University of Missouri at Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, 1976, B.A.
Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, Multi-Engine Land, with type ratings for the
EMB-110, SD-3, SF-340 airliners
- Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Aviation Litigation Seminar, Aviation and Space Law Committee of the Tort and Insurance Practice
Section of the American Bar Association, 1999
Successful Handling of Wrongful Death Cases in California, Lorman Education Services, 2002
- Author:
"Pilot's Reaction Among Flight 3407 Crash Causes"
Findlaw KnowledgeBase
April 16, 2009
"American Passengers Have Limited Rights in International Airline Crashes Because of
a Treaty Known as the Montreal Convention"
Findlaw KnowledgeBase
June 8, 2010
"Cause of Fatal Livermore Plane Crash Under Investigation"
FindLaw KnowledgeBase
June 8, 2010
Honors and Awards: - Listed, Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
Selected to: Southern California Super Lawyers 2009, 2010
Selected to: Southern California Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, 2009
Who's Who in the World
Who's Who in American Law
Who's Who in America
Who's Who in the West
Air Line Pilots Association, Counsel 37, Distinguished Service Award
Aviation Counsel Magazine's List of Recommended High Flyers
National Air Disaster Foundation Safety Award, 2002
Recipient: Outstanding Section Member 2009, Aviation Section of the American Assn. for Justice
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, Member
The American Association for Justice, Member
Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association, Member
Air Line Pilots Association, Member
George McBurney Complex Litigation Inn of Court, Member
Plaintiffs' Steering Committee, Atlantic Southeast Airlines Crash, near Carrollton, Georgia, 1995
Plaintiffs' Steering Committee, Singapore Airlines Crash, Taipei, Taiwan, 2000
Plaintiffs' Steering Committee, MDL-1448, American Airlines 587 Crash, Belle Harbor (Queens), New York, 2001 - Plaintiffs' Executive Committee, September 11, 2001 Tort Litigation, 2001
- Past Employment Positions:
- Comair, Captain
Wright Airlines, First Officer
Aero-Mech Airlines, First Officer
Air Illinois, First Officer
VIPilot, Inc., Charter Pilot and Charter Company Operator/President/CEO
Air Line Pilots Association, Council 37, Contract Administration Committee Chairman
- Fraternities/Sororities:
- Delta Theta Phi














