Admiralty and Maritime - Representative Matters
- Negotiated vessel sales, purchases and charters and secured
financing, including first preferred ship mortgages, and
handled vessel documentation matters.
- Advised clients on matters relative to other maritime
statutes and laws, including cargo liability governed by
the U.S. Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA) and the coastwise
trades regulated under the Jones Act.
- Represented shipowner before en banc Sixth Circuit Court
of Appeals, resulting in holding that seamen cannot recover
for heart attack due to work-related stress.
- Represented shipowners before Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals,
resulting in holding that, as a matter of law, seamen cannot
recover punitive damages from a shipowner-employer under
Jones Act or for unseaworthiness.
- Played an instrumental role in achieving partial deregulation
of the U.S. international ocean liner industry through adoption
of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998 (OSRA).
- Participated in every rulemaking proceeding initiated
by the Federal Maritime Commission to implement OSRA. Consequently,
our maritime practitioners are known throughout the nation
for their work with respect to U.S. regulation of the ocean
liner industry.
- Represented shipowners before Washington Court of Appeals,
resulting in favorable ruling on accrual of statute of limitations
in seamen's toxic exposure cases.
- Represented shipowner before Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals,
resulting in holding that dock owner was obligated to indemnify
shipowner for death of seaman who fell from dock, notwithstanding
shipowner negligence that contributed to the fall.
- Represented shipowner before the Ohio Court of Appeals, resulting in
vacating $1.8 million personal injury verdict as excessive due to passion
and prejudice of jury.
- Represented shipowner in negotiations with the Department of Justice
resulting in satisfactory resolution of $3.5 million claim for oil pollution
cleanup expenses from sunken vessel.
- Represented shipowner in defense of seaman's claim of career-ending
back injury, resulting in jury verdict for shipowner.
