ALLISON DAVIS is a nationally-recognized railroad regulatory lawyer with a distinguished background in government and a proven track record of helping clients navigate complex transportation issues. Drawing on more than a decade of experience at the Surface Transportation Board (STB), Allison provides strategic counsel to railroads and other stakeholders seeking to advance their business interests while maintaining regulatory compliance. Allison represents railroads before federal courts and federal agencies, such as the STB and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
Allison also advises parties in transactions involving rail lines or other transportation assets, and counsels clients on compliance with federal transportation regulations. She has represented railroads in high-stakes mergers, stock and asset acquisitions, and licensing transactions before the STB. She counsels private infrastructure investors and rail carriers on a range of matters, including rail line discontinuances, leases, and operational transitions.
Prior to joining Sidley, Allison held several high-level positions at the STB, including as a senior advisor to two STB Chairmen, and eventually served as the Director of the Office of Proceedings. In that role, she led the STB’s largest staff office, supervised teams responsible for developing the public record in proceedings before the agency, and issued decisions pursuant to delegated authority. Allison led STB staff teams on numerous complex rulemakings, licensing cases, and adjudicatory proceedings, including multimillion dollar rate disputes and reasonable practice disputes. She provided legal and policy guidance to the Board on various aspects of STB law, including preemption, unreasonable rates, unreasonable practices, freight and passenger rail construction projects, and proposed transactions.