Maritime
Team members have received the distinction of Super Lawyers® or Rising Stars® in the field of "Transportation: Maritime." |
Maritime
Specialty Practice
The Maritime Law Group consists of attorneys who specialize in maritime law, have practical industry experience, and special academic training. For example, one of our lawyers is a former commercial and research diver, has been a Proctor in Admiralty and member of the Maritime Law Association of the U.S. since 1981, and was counsel of record in the Guizoni v. SouthWest Marine case before the U.S. Supreme Court, a landmark case on seamen’s status.
Dispute Resolution and Business Transactions
The firm’s Maritime Law practice is based in California, and has the capabilities to handle maritime matters in other primary maritime centers across the U.S. The attorneys in the Maritime Law Group handle commercial transactions, litigation and counseling for all types of maritime businesses and insurers, including foreign and U. S. flag vessels, terminals, stevedoring companies, shipyards, ship repair contractors, marine construction companies, fishing vessels, fish processors, canneries, offshore operations, tug and tow operations, salvage companies and diving outfits.
Liability Prevention
Our dispute resolution experience includes cases in U.S. state and federal appellate courts, as well as international arbitral forums and matters before various regulatory entities such as the United States Customs Service. In addition to dispute resolution, we assist clients with liability prevention by helping to identify risk factors resulting from our hazardous operation assessments, and developing responsive risk reduction measures.
Scope of Practice
Our Maritime Law attorneys have extensive experience assisting clients in the following areas:
- Maritime employment
- Marine pollution claims
- Maritime personal injury (Jones Act, DOHSA, LHWCA, and General Maritime Law)
- Marine cargo and transportation
- Passenger claims and ticketing disputes
- International choice of laws, jurisdiction and venue
- Ship mortgage and finance
- Salvage
- Tug and tow
- Hull and machinery
- Maritime contract disputes
- Vessel collision and groundings
- Marine insurance (coverage, indemnity, subrogation)
- Arbitration of maritime claims (domestic and foreign)
- U.S. Coast Guard proceedings
- Manning and safety (including Fed-OSHA)
- Proceedings in rem (vessel arrests, limitation of liability)
- Vessel arrests, Rule B and C attachments
- Marine contract negotiations and preparation, including ship repair contracts an seamen contracts
We are also experienced in drafting and/or negotiating a wide variety of marine and general business contracts such as charter parties, passenger tickets, terminal service agreements, berth assignments, bills of lading, towage contracts and maritime collective bargaining agreements. Click the links below to view our recent experience.
- 9 Attorneys
- Team includes a former commercial and research diver, a Proctor in Admiralty, and a member of the Maritime Law Association of the U.S. since 1981.
- Counseled clients involved in the 2008 West Coast Negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association members and various ILWU Locals, covering 26,000 ILWU-represented longshore workers at 29 west coast ports in California, Oregon, and Washington.