Areas Of Law

Maritime Law

From the Firm’s formation in 1986, the Firm’s core clients have been marine insurers and their insureds. Our maritime law and transportation practice includes vessel casualty litigation and crisis management involving collisions, allisions, engine room breakdowns, fires, and other marine casualties; litigation and advice concerning cargo loss in transportation by sea, air and land; general average and salvage matters; drafting bills of lading and transportation agreements; defense of Jones Act, passenger, Longshore and Harbor Worker, marina, dock builder and other personal injury claims; defense of claims against recreational boating manufacturers; arbitration of charter party disputes; and the defense of direct and indirect air carriers, NVOCCs and other carriers.

Insurance and Reinsurance

The Firm’s practice has traditionally emphasized marine insurance but has grown to include non-marine matters. In this field, we interpret and give advice on marine cargo, hull and liability policies as well as inland marine, property and commercial liability policies. We also have significant experience in drafting policy wordings. When coverage disputes arise, we have successfully resolved many through negotiation, alternate dispute resolution techniques and litigation in both State and Federal courts.

Commercial and Property

Our practice touches on many other related areas where we have been called on to advise and represent clients in matters involving both insured and uninsured issues or disputes. We defend air carriers and NVOCCs against claims and in litigation. Also, we have advised both insurers and commercial clients in connection with restriction on their activities under sanctions programs such as those administered by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Clients have called on us to advice advise or represent them in connection with commercial disputes involving contracts for the international sale of goods, as well as recovery of losses due to roof collapses, water damage, and structural failures..

Energy

Energy exposures span a host of risks. They include those covered by various forms of liability, property, pollution and other specialty insurances. We have advised clients in connection with major property damage and business interruption losses, as well as matters involving traditional marine risks that have arisen in the energy context.

Subrogation

We have handled thousands of subrogation cases involving marine and inland marine losses. On a regular basis we pursue subrogation cargo claims against ocean carriers, air carriers, railroads, motor carriers, warehouses. These claims are often litigated in State and Federal courts, and, through our network of foreign correspondent attorneys, in foreign tribunals as well.