Best Lawyers in America for Admiralty and Maritime Law
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Robert Vining is a partner in SBSB’s Houston office. A seasoned attorney with expertise spanning more than a dozen practice areas, he is a respected figure in his field who is admitted to the State Bar of Texas, the Louisiana State Bar Association, The Mississippi Bar and in nine U.S. District Courts across the Gulf Coast. Mr. Vining arrived to SBSB in February 2018 and has overseen a prolific law career of more than 28 years. He primarily splits his practice between litigation and tran...
Mike Timpone is a partner in the Corporate Finance and Business Transactions Groups at Seward & Kissel. Mike is the head of the Firm’s Transportation Finance Group, a cross section of attorneys within the Firm from the Corporate Finance, Corporate Securities, Business Transactions, Litigation, Bankruptcy and Tax Departments with expertise on matters of interest to clients in the transportation industry. He devotes a large part of his time to the representation of U.S. and non-U.S. b...
Jason is one of the nation's top trial lawyers for one reason: when he represents a client, he's all in. No matter how tough the fight. No matter how big the challenge. When it matters most, he's there for people who have been wronged. He takes every case personally, treating each client like family while he fights to rebuild their lives. When people need to win, they call Jason. He's won several verdicts and settlements worth more than $100 million, dozens of results worth more than $10 mill...
David focuses on marine insurance coverage; marine finance and vessel documentation; bankruptcy, restructuring, and creditors’ rights; admiralty and maritime; and international and cross-border law. He represents clients that own, operate, charter, or employ vessels, and helps them understand and manage their risks in the United States, Gulf of Mexico, and worldwide offshore maritime oilfield and alternative-energy markets. Originally from Bethesda, Maryland, David attended Tulane Unive...
Neil is a partner in Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin & Hansen, LLP (CWL), a regional law firm serving the Western U.S. and Pacific Rim. He practices maritime and transportation law. He’s been designated a Southern California "Super Lawyer" for 2012-2024 and been recognized by Best Lawyers in America since 2021. He represents domestic and foreign insurers in first and third-party cases, and local maritime and transportation companies in business litigation. Neil has been featured in the L...
Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, Tod Everage 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 W...
C. Arthur "Brother" Rutter III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Brother, who practices law in Norfolk, Virginia, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brother is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. A second-generation lawyer, Brother Rutter made a name fo...
Etienne Balart is a partner in the Maritime and Litigation practice groups, in the Construction Industry Team, and co-leads the firm's Latin America working group. He provides transactional and litigation counsel to clients in the energy and maritime industries. Etienne helps clients identify and quantify financial, compliance, and other risks associated with disputes and litigated matters, negotiate, and, where necessary, bring to trial commercial and other disputes. Relying upon this deep e...
Nathan P. Horner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law. Nathan P., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nathan P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Richard Cozad is a partner in SBSB’s New Orleans office with more than 45 years of experience in private law practice. A member of the firm since August 2018, he has focused his years of practice primarily on admiralty, marine insurance and environmental law. Richard received his bachelor’s degree from Loyola University before going on to earn his law degree from Tulane University. Following graduation, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Nauman Scott, former Chief Judge of...
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.