Best Lawyers in America for Admiralty and Maritime Law
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State
John Schwambach focuses his practice on the trial and appeal of complex commercial disputes. Mr. Schwambach handles complex civil matters in both state and federal courts. He has briefed and argued many appeals and original proceedings in mandamus before Texas appellate courts, including the Texas Supreme Court and the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals. Mr. Schwambach has also briefed and argued numerous pre-trial motions in...
Grady Hurley is a partner in and co-leader of the maritime litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution team and co-chair of the Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources Industry Team. Since 1979, he has focused on maritime, oilfield, and energy litigation. Grady has broad-ranging dispute resolution and transactional experience at the intersection of energy and maritime law, including in areas such as offshore energy exploration, production, and distribution, where a range of complex ...
For more than 25 years, Tim Hassinger has represented companies and insurers in personal injury, commercial, and insurance coverage litigation. He uses a targeted, strategic approach—from early case assessment to trial—to control and efficiently resolve litigation. Tim is AV-Preeminent rated, a Louisiana Super Lawyer®, and serves as Liaison Counsel in complex class actions. He teaches Admiralty at Loyola Law School and presents internationally on injury and contractual claims....
Mike Butterworth practices in the areas of admiralty and tort litigation and alternative dispute resolution, which includes collision, repair yard, machinery, cargo, pollution and longshoreman personal injury litigation at the trial and appellate level as well as mediation where appropriate. He is a registered civil mediator with the Louisiana State Bar Association. In addition to litigation, he teaches in the maritime law program at Tulane University Law School.
Michael D. Williams is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law and Litigation - Insurance. Michael D., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
State and federal court litigator, trial advocate, and appellate advisor, Chuck Talley has more than four decades of experience representing clients in complex disputes. Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, Chuck practices with Kean Miller and focuses on resolving matters involving Admiralty and Maritime Law, Oil and Gas Law , insurance coverage, and general business litigation. His work includes handling cases at every stage of litigation, from initial strategy and motion practice through trial ...
Kent Morrison practices in all areas of marine and energy law, including tort defense, monitoring and insurance coverage analysis. He has handled cases involving cargo disputes, collisions, personal injuries, deaths, collisions, allisions, wake/wave wash, groundings, products liability, property damage, indemnity and insurance coverage disputes, representing maritime employers, vessel owners, longshore employers, energy companies, dock and terminal owners and their underwriters. He also provi...
As a member of Lugenbuhl's Admiralty & Maritime Group, Adelaida (Adi) Ferchmin focuses on advising clients in a wide variety of maritime, insurance, and energy matters. When working with her clients, Adi uses her knowledge of Spanish, Polish and Croatian to assist clients with international transactions and matters involving foreign entities or witnesses. Growing up in San Juan, Puerto Rico Adi has a thorough understanding of not only the languages, but barriers that can be brought on by ...
Charles R. Lipcon graduated with his J.D. from the University of Miami in 1971. Since then, he has built a reputation representing victims of cruise line sexual assaults, wrongful death claims, and personal injury matters. Mr. Lipcon has written multiple books, including his latest, “Unsafe on the High Seas," and has earned a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV due to his extensive experience and professional standards. Charles Lipcon is also involved in numerous associations outside of the...
Christopher Raleigh is a member of Cozen O'Connor's New York office and practices in the Transportation & Logistics Department. Christopher has more than 25 years of experience in the litigation and arbitration of complex commercial disputes involving UCC and international sales, aviation, admiralty and interstate transit. Christopher has represented foreign and domestic corporations in litigations involving: breach of contract and warranty arising out of the international sale of defecti...
Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, Tod advises Fortune 500 corporations, established energy companies, and emerging alternative energy enterprises on the transactional, regulatory, and litigation issues they encounter in daily operations. His practice includes Admiralty and Maritime Law, as well as offshore, midstream , and environmental matters arising under federal statutes such as the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Natural Gas Act, NEPA, Deepwater Port Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act...
Conte Cicala is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law. Conte, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Conte is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Allen D. Hemphill is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law. Allen D., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Allen D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Tim Strickland is a trial partner in the Houston office of Kean Miller , where he represents clients in Admiralty and Maritime Law and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants. Based in Houston, Texas, he has practiced law for more than 33 years across Texas and the Gulf Coast. His background includes service as managing partner of the Houston office of a multi-state maritime litigation firm before joining Kean Miller in 2021. His practice focuses on offshore energy and marine litigation...
Jason R. Margulies is a board certified admiralty and maritime lawyer representing victims of cruise ship sexual assault and other similar cruise injuries. Mr. Margulies has received multiple awards throughout his years of practice including an AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 rating from Martindale, 10.0 Avvo score along with numerous positive reviews from clients. Jason Margulies is frequently interviewed by the media and quoted on cases relating to cruise safety and maritime legal issues. He is ...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.