Maritime Litigation

Navigating your toughest business challenges

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Overview

Maritime disputes are often hugely complex and frequently involve numerous parties, detailed contracts, unclear jurisdiction and extensive potential liabilities. In such critical matters, it is vital that you have a team you can trust manning the tiller. MG+M attorneys have decades of experience successfully litigating high-stakes maritime and marine casualty claims, as well as USCG administrative proceedings and maritime-related personal injury, wrongful death, commercial litigation and contracts, insurance practice and policy, and product liability claims. Operating from 14 offices in major US markets, we have represented clients in jurisdictions throughout the continental United States, Canada, Hawaii, the Caribbean and South America. Our team is prepared to offer you skilled legal representation from coast-to-coast and everywhere in between.

Deep knowledge of the maritime industry

With our specific and extensive backgrounds in marine, civil and criminal law, our team of maritime attorneys has a deep understanding of the nuances in maritime personal injury, commercial disputes and contracts, insurance practice and policy, USCG administrative hearings, and recreational boating accidents. Many of our maritime attorneys have backgrounds in criminal law via prosecutors’ offices and as public defenders, so we are uniquely qualified to represent crews in USCG Administrative hearings involving license suspension or revocation, as well as civil liability and criminal defense matters—and help clients avoid hearings altogether. We also consult on issues surrounding mariner liability insurance, including licensing, coverage, depositions, court proceedings, witness statements and responses to letters of warning notices.

MG+M has successfully represented clients throughout the maritime industry, including boat manufacturers, insurers, marine equipment manufacturers, shipyards, boat dealerships, yacht clubs and marinas, vessel owners, charterers, and operators, in all forms of maritime and marine casualty claims. MG+M attorneys are published thought leaders and professors of marine insurance law, Proctors of Admiralty certified by the Maritime Law Association of the United States, and members of respected organizations and trade groups focused on the maritime industry. This breadth of experience gives us unique insight into the constantly changing maritime laws and regulations, as well as the technical knowledge required to analyze and resolve maritime claims effectively.

Exceptional client service

MG+M is devoted to providing outstanding service to our clients. Our attorneys work to ensure transparency, communicating with you frequently and clearly about the status of your case, changes in tactics and strategy, and projected expenses. Our entire team is committed to acting in your best interest, not accruing courtroom or billable hours. Because MG+M attorneys know the impact litigation can have on your operations and bottom line, they treat every case as if their own livelihood is at stake.

Team
Partner
Chicago
312 625 4993
Alexander J.
Baker
abaker@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 668 1148
Alex P.
Blair
ablair@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 625 4994
Pamela R.
Budreau
pbudreau@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3416
Raúl J.
Chacón Jr.
rchacon@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New Orleans
504 535 2882
Diana
Dilday
ddilday@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3442
Jonathan
Dunleavy
jdunleavy@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
337 842 2500
David R.
Frohn
dfrohn@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3415
Kaylin S.
Grey
kgrey@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Hattiesburg
601 255 0259
Adam
Hays
ahays@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8521
John T.
Hugo
jhugo@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
305 537 3423
Katherine
Kaplan
kkaplan@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Madison County/St. Louis
618 607 5303
Candice C.
Kusmer
ckusmer@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
305 537 3447
Monika
Ledlova
mledlova@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3417
Gustavo A.
Martínez Tristani
gmartinez@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
305 537 3426
Emma
Nunn
enunn@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3421
Lucia V.
Pazos
lpazos@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3413
Russell M.
Pfeifer
rpfeifer@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 535 2879
Meghan B.
Senter
msenter@mgmlaw.com
Experience

Obtained a defense verdict for a national boat manufacturing company in a three-week products liability and personal injury jury trial involving five personal injury plaintiffs and an insurance company seeking millions of dollars in damages. The cross examination of the plaintiffs’ liability expert, together with the carefully developed testimony of the defense expert, provided all that the jury needed to return a defense verdict. The facts, the science used to undermine plaintiff theories while supporting defense theories and various entertaining snippets of the trial garnered interest by the media. The verdict was featured in the South Florida Daily Business Review.

Settled an eight-figure case in which we developed new science via our experts on the effectiveness of an engine cut-off switch and lanyard during a first pass strike. The case—which involved a propeller strike to the plaintiff’s head resulting in nearly catastrophic injuries—occurred upon ejection from a boat and posed very unique and complex challenges. Engine cut-off switches were designed to prevent injuries when a vessel circles back and strikes the ejected operator. There were no studies on their effectiveness for contact immediately after ejection. MG+M identified novel scientific theories to study this scenario, specific to the particulars of the matter, while also developing the evidence to support how the plaintiff caused the accident, as opposed to a failure in the vessel’s steering system. Together with our experts, we developed the tests to prove the theories that ultimately undermined the plaintiff’s experts work and postured the matter for resolution at a reasonable figure. Our cross-examination of the plaintiff’s experts proved fatal to the plaintiff’s case. 

Successfully defended a boat manufacturer in a two-week maritime products liability and personal injury jury trial in federal court in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multiple plaintiffs were seriously injured, but the evidence and presentation of same convinced a jury that the manufacturer was not at fault. At close, plaintiffs' counsel asked for an award of more than $125 million, but the jury returned a verdict for the defense. Successfully defended a multi–million dollar coverage dispute in a federal court trial arising from property damage incurred during Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and Florida. After hearing a week's worth of testimony from all parties and their experts, the court returned a defense verdict.
Insights
Key Contact
Raúl  Chacón Jr.
Raúl J.
Chacón Jr.

rchacon@mgmlaw.com