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Rob is a partner in the firm's Admiralty &amp; Maritime practice group. He is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed deck officer (since 1987) and focuses his practice on a wide range of maritime matters including both litigation and transactions.

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<p class="wp-block-contentpilot-introduction">Rob is a partner in the firm's Admiralty &amp; Maritime practice group. He is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed deck officer (since 1987) and focuses his practice on a wide range of maritime matters including both litigation and transactions.</p>

Rob has represented shipowners in trials in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas and Washington, variously in both federal court and state court. Rob has also represented shipowners before state environmental agencies and in connection with U.S. Coast Guard investigations.

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<p>Rob has represented shipowners in trials in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas and Washington, variously in both federal court and state court. Rob has also represented shipowners before state environmental agencies and in connection with U.S. Coast Guard investigations.</p>

Rob handles litigation matters involving defense of seamen personal injury cases alleging negligence under the Jones Act and unseaworthiness under general maritime law; carriage of goods and passengers alleging breach of contract, personal injury, detention, demurrage, despatch, etc.; cargo damage cases under the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the Harter Act, common carriage and private carriage; collision and allision cases with issues of improper lookout, errors in navigation, obstructions to navigation, tug operations, latent defects, machinery failure, etc.; marine insurance; and in rem actions under Supplemental Admiralty Rules based on vessel arrests and cargo seizures. Rob handles transactional matters involving charter parties and contracts of carriage, which include time-, voyage-, and sub-charters, contracts of affreightment, booking notes, float agreements, common carriage and private carriage; vessel documentation and finance; and towage contracts.

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In a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call to mind, there lived not long since one of those gentlemen that keep a lance in the lance-rack, an old buckler, a lean hack, and a greyhound for coursing.

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<p> Rob handles litigation matters involving defense of seamen personal injury cases alleging negligence under the Jones Act and unseaworthiness under general maritime law; carriage of goods and passengers alleging breach of contract, personal injury, detention, demurrage, despatch, etc.; cargo damage cases under the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the Harter Act, common carriage and private carriage; collision and allision cases with issues of improper lookout, errors in navigation, obstructions to navigation, tug operations, latent defects, machinery failure, etc.; marine insurance; and in rem actions under Supplemental Admiralty Rules based on vessel arrests and cargo seizures. Rob handles transactional matters involving charter parties and contracts of carriage, which include time-, voyage-, and sub-charters, contracts of affreightment, booking notes, float agreements, common carriage and private carriage; vessel documentation and finance; and towage contracts. </p>

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<section class="wp-block-contentpilot-expand-more"><div class="wp-block-contentpilot-expand-more__excerpt is-visible" data-selector="expand-more"><p></p></div><div class="wp-block-contentpilot-expand-more__full-content" data-selector="expand-more"><p> Rob handles litigation matters involving defense of seamen personal injury cases alleging negligence under the Jones Act and unseaworthiness under general maritime law; carriage of goods and passengers alleging breach of contract, personal injury, detention, demurrage, despatch, etc.; cargo damage cases under the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the Harter Act, common carriage and private carriage; collision and allision cases with issues of improper lookout, errors in navigation, obstructions to navigation, tug operations, latent defects, machinery failure, etc.; marine insurance; and in rem actions under Supplemental Admiralty Rules based on vessel arrests and cargo seizures. Rob handles transactional matters involving charter parties and contracts of carriage, which include time-, voyage-, and sub-charters, contracts of affreightment, booking notes, float agreements, common carriage and private carriage; vessel documentation and finance; and towage contracts. </p></div><button class="wp-block-contentpilot-expand-more__more-button is-visible" data-selector="expand-more">Show More</button><button class="wp-block-contentpilot-expand-more__less-button" data-selector="expand-more">Show Less</button></section>

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Selected by peers for inclusion in&nbsp;<em>The Best Lawyers in America<sup>®</sup></em>&nbsp;for 5 years or longer.&nbsp;

<p>Selected by peers for inclusion in&nbsp;<em>The Best Lawyers in America<sup>®</sup></em>&nbsp;for 5 years or longer.&nbsp;</p>

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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>Selected by peers for inclusion in&nbsp;<em>The Best Lawyers in America<sup>®</sup></em>&nbsp;for 5 years or longer.&nbsp;</p></blockquote>

Tulane Law School, J.D., 1997

Maine Maritime Academy, B.S., 1993

Four Thompson Hine Partners Featured in 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in Maritime, Admiralty & The High Seas

Product Liability Litigation

Admiralty & Maritime

Partner

<ul>
<li>Successfully defended shipowner in a jury trial in state court in Wisconsin in which the plaintiff alleged a career-ending back injury, resulting in a verdict for shipowner.</li>
<li>Successfully defended shipowner in a jury trial in federal court in Michigan in which the plaintiff sustained a career-ending injury, resulting in a verdict for shipowner.</li>
<li>Successfully represented a Great Lakes shipowner in connection with a grounding that resulted from the negligence of another vessel, resulting in a decision and award from the trial court in shipowner’s favor.</li>
<li>Successfully represented shipowner in an enforcement proceeding brought by a state environmental agency, resulting in the agency dropping all charges of wrongdoing.</li>
<li>Successfully represented several shipowner in connection with an investigations by U.S. Coast Guard related to alleged wrongful discharge, resulting in no action against shipowners.</li>
<li>Successfully represented marine engineer in connection with criminal indictment for wrongful discharge of oil, which resulted in the U.S. Coast Guard dropping all charges.</li>
</ul>


Robert W. Burger

<ul>
<li>Quoted, <a href="https://bit.ly/32RyKeC" target="_self">“Vetting suppliers during a pandemic,” <em>COSMOS</em>, Report on Supply Chain Compliance Volume 3, Number 18, September 2020</a></li>
<li>“Asbestos: Expansion of Liability and Potential Ban,” Thompson Hine <em>Product Liability Update</em>, December 2016</li>
</ul>


Publications

<ul>
<li>Named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in Maritime, Admiralty & The High Seas</li>
<li>Selected for inclusion in <em>The Best Lawyers in America<sup>®</sup></em> 2019 to 2027 for Admiralty and Maritime Law, and Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Defendants</li>
</ul>


Distinctions

<h3>Professional Associations</h3>
<ul>
<li>Maritime Law Association of the United States, proctor member, Maritime Torts Committee</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Activities</h3>
<ul>
<li>Propeller Club, Port of Cleveland, Board of Governors, 2010 to present, past president 2013, past secretary/treasurer 2014 to 2022</li>
<li>Argonaut, formerly PHASTAR, Board of Directors 2023</li>
</ul>


Robert W.Burger

Robert W.Burger

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