Best Lawyers in Texas, United States for Admiralty and Maritime Law
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James Bailey is a partner in SBSB Eastham’s Houston office whose practice focuses primarily on litigation and arbitration related to all matters of maritime law. He regularly represents vessel owners, managers, operators, P&I clubs and marine insurers in marine casualty losses and contract disputes including collisions, allisions, cargo damage and loss, charter party disputes, regulatory and environmental matters, oil and hazardous materials pollution and personal injury. Additional...
Nicholas Earles is a partner in SBSB Eastham’s Houston office and has been a knowledgeable resource in the maritime space for more than 20 years. While his practice focuses in admiralty, his experience also extends to general and premises liability, workers’ compensation, subrogation and transportation. Additionally, he has navigated difficult cases for energy companies and overseas defense contractors covered by the Defense Base Act. A member of SBSB Eastham’s original rost...
Kelly M. Haas is a partner in the Houston office. Her practice is focused on the areas of admiralty and maritime law and energy-related litigation matters in both state and federal courts. Her practice consists of defending vessel owners and operators, as well as offshore companies, from claims arising from collisions, property damage, personal injury, maritime pollution, environmental issues, cargo matters and contract disputes, and it regularly includes matters involving the Jones Act, the ...
Billy Swaim defends clients in complex litigation, including insurance coverage, construction defects, and commercial disputes. He draws on his extensive courtroom experience and practical business sense to resolve cases efficiently and protect his clients’ bottom line. Learn more about Billy’s strategic litigation approach: gallowaylawfirm.com
If you had told John Schouest 30 years ago that he would become the leader of a dynamic and multistate law firm, he would have said “no way.” But over time, he realized that providing quality client representation could be achieved in a collegial and respectful environment. He aligned himself with others who felt the same, and SBSB Eastham Law was born. John has always been at home on the water. As a young man, he spent summers working at his father’s push-boat company in Lo...
Cory Itkin has established a reputation as one of the most aggressive and prepared trial lawyers in the country. His experience includes maritime accidents, trucking accidents, plant explosions, and other high-stakes personal injury cases. Mr. Itkin has won verdicts and settlements for clients in more than two dozen states. He also obtained favorable results in the high-profile litigation involving families who lost loved ones or workers who were injured in the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion ...
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.
Thomas J. Smith represents clients in complex civil litigation with a focus on insurance defense, personal injury, and construction matters. He brings strategic insight to each case, guiding clients through litigation with precision and responsiveness from pre-suit through appeal. See how Tommy protects client interests in high-stakes matters: gallowaylawfirm.com
Limor BenMaier is a founding member of SBSB Eastham and is one of the managing partners of the firm. An extensive career in law led her to help facilitate the creation of the firm in February 2015. While she has worked every job in a law firm, her time as a lawyer started as a Federal Court clerk. In that time, she assisted the Court in writing decisions for cases under Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, Defense Base Act, consumer protection, and immigration visas. Amongst ...
Robert Vining is a partner in SBSB Eastham’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 Eastham in February 2018 and has overseen a prolific law career of more than 28 years. He primarily splits his practice between lit...
G. Byron Sims is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law and Commercial Litigation. G. Byron, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which G. Byron is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kelly Hartmann focuses on resolving client issues through innovative, cost-effective strategies that align with business goals—balancing aggressive litigation with practical resolution. He represents energy, maritime, and construction firms, their underwriters, and insurers, and handles complex litigation including wrongful death, Jones Act, drilling operations, health care, and trucking liability cases. Kelly also advises clients on contracts and commercial documents, including master ...
Mark R. “Tiger” Pharr III has represented clients for more than 35 years in a wide range of matters, including construction defect, premises liability, insurance defense, personal injury, professional liability, and trucking. Tiger’s litigation practice includes jury trials, bench trials, mediations, and arbitrations, and he has handled appeals before state and federal courts. His experience also includes acting as a mediator and arbitrator in civil cases. Explore Tiger&rsqu...
Marcus Tucker's practice includes the investigation and defense of claims resulting from oilfield and maritime casualties, construction defects, personal injury and transportation related accidents. His practice also involves the litigation of commercial disputes through trial and arbitration. In addition, Marcus litigates and provides advice on contractual indemnity and insurance coverage issues on behalf of both corporate clients and insurance companies.
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.