This session provides an introduction both to the workshop and to airport law generally. It will then explore the evolution of airports and airport law in the United States, and the changing role of local, state, and federal governments in the airport system. It is designed to provide a historical context for why legal authority is divided among different agencies and why the United States’ airport law scheme is unique among other industrialized nations. This session will also introduce common terms and legal relationships among the various stakeholders and will provide background for those needing a refresher – or those who are new to the field of airport law.