Maritime Law
In 1997, McLaughlin & Stern, LLP merged with the firm of Maddy, Lion & Greenwood, whose attorneys brought with them a long-standing maritime corporate practice. The maritime aspect of the practice focuses on the handling of corporate and financial matters, as well as maritime regulatory issues, including both client counseling and litigation in the courts and arbitration forums.
The attorneys handling maritime matters are engaged in drafting, negotiating, offering advice and opinions and litigating matters involving various types of contracts, including:
- Contracts for sale and purchase or construction of ocean vessels;
- Agreements for financing of ocean vessels;
- Charter parties, including bareboat, time and voyage charters, where used as finance vehicles and for operating purposes;
- Contracts for the purchase or leasing of equipment, including containers and chassis;
- Contracts with stevedores and ocean marine terminals;
- Contracts for passenger vessel operations;
- Private placements, bond financings, and other financial investment vehicles.
The firm is familiar with the maritime and corporate laws of a variety of jurisdictions, including Liberia, Panama, the Bahamas and the Marshall Islands.
The firm counsels and represents clients before governmental agencies in particular maritime regulatory matters, including:
- The Federal Maritime Commission, including filings of common carrier agreements to obtain antitrust immunity, matters involving service contracts and tariffs, licensing of ocean transportation intermediaries, and docketed administrative proceedings involving enforcement of the Shipping Act of 1984, as amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998;
- The Maritime Administration, including cargo preference issues, financings, and related issues;
- The U.S. Coast Guard, including vessel documentation matters and related filings;
- The U.S. Customs Service, including cabotage issues.
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