Admiralty & Maritime
Admiralty & Maritime Law
The attorneys of the Firm have extensive experience in the traditional fields of admiralty and maritime law. We represent vessel owners, NVOCCs, barge lines, charterers, shippers, consignees and other parties involved in the intermodal transportation of cargoes throughout the world, and upon the inland rivers and Great Lakes in a wide range of matters, including collision, personal injury (Jones Act and LHWCA), cargo damage, service contracts and oil pollution. We also represent marine terminals, steamship agents, shipper’s agents, chassis and container leasing companies, towboat companies and excursion vessels in matters associated with marine commerce and transportation. We represent both foreign and domestic insurance companies in matters relating to inland and ocean marine insurance, general liability and personal injury defense. Our lawyers also provide advice and representation in the purchase and sale of vessels, and in marine finance matters, including ship mortgage foreclosures.
The attorneys of the Firm have been directly involved in most of the major maritime accidents that have occurred in the upper Midwest. They have successfully argued the appeal in one of the most significant cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on the subject of admiralty jurisdiction, Sisson v. Ruby, 497 U.S. 358 (1990), and represented French interests in the Amoco Cadiz oil spill litigation, which was filed and decided in the Seventh Circuit. In re Oil Spill by The Amoco Cadiz, 954 F.2d 1279 (7th Cir. 1992).
Our lawyers are active in many maritime organizations, including the Maritime Law Association of the United States, the Propeller Club of the United States, the U.S. Great Lakes Shipping Association, the Chicago Ocean Marine Association, the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry-Transportation Advisory Committee and the Marine Navigation & Training Association.
We have represented our clients in state and federal courts throughout the United States, including before the United States Supreme Court, and in maritime arbitrations. We have also represented clients before the U.S. Coast Guard, the Maritime Administration, Federal Maritime Commission, Immigration, Customs and other governmental organizations involved in maritime matters.
