Covering the Gulf Coast region from Houston to Tampa, the Adams and Reese Maritime and Offshore Team combines deep knowledge of the maritime and oil and gas industries with the consistent loyalty of U.S. and international clients. We provide general counsel for transactions and daily business issues as well as representation before regulatory bodies and tribunals, legal support for emergency response and defense of complex controversies, including commercial disputes, limitation of liability, maritime personal injury and death, collision, property damage, indemnity, economic loss, premises and products liability and class actions.
Encompassing areas of corporate and international law as well as economic development, public finance, intellectual property, insurance and tax, governmental relations and energy, Adams and Reese offers a strategic approach to your business interests. We can mobilize a team quickly to respond when you need us — proven by years of successful and cost-effective negotiation and litigation.
Our Attorneys
In addition to our knowledge of key governmental agencies such as OSHA, the Minerals Management Service and the U.S. Coast Guard, Adams and Reese attorneys have other affinities for the maritime and offshore industry. Our team includes King’s Point graduates, a former marine surveyor, engineers and Navy vets.
Side by side with our clients, we have experienced the process of responding to collisions, spills and other catastrophic incidents on the water. Through creative solutions in arbitration, mediation, trial and dedicated appellate work, we strive to resolve these cases efficiently, with appropriate consideration to liability, compensation and environmental protections — adhering to the business strategies of our clients.
Core Practice and Clients
For decades, Adams and Reese has represented the interests of operators, employers, contractors and joint venturers as well as their underwriters and affiliates. This includes but is not limited to oil and gas operators, marine transport, offshore supply companies, drilling contractors, barge lines, shipyards and vessel manufacturers, owners and operators. We practice primarily in the areas of:
Emergency Response: providing legal counsel and critical communications for collisions, allisions, spills, explosions and other incidents that may or may not include personal injury, property damage or environmental hazard.
Vessel Sales and Construction: representing clients in the negotiation of a variety of marine vessel sales and vessel construction contracts for major shipyards, owners and operators.
Compliance: assisting with necessary communications between the client and state and federal governmental agencies and tribunals. We also support reporting and documentation required for licensing and certain labor and union issues as well as public financing and incentives.
ADR and Litigation: arbitrating, mediating and litigating disputes associated with claims for oil pollution, charter parties, oil well liens, cargo loss or damage, salvage, limitation of liability, marine and energy insurance coverage issues, disputes arising from drilling, construction and financing agreements, federal compensation claims (USL&H), maritime liens, vessel mortgages, towage, general average, collisions and allisions, personal injury and death, property damage and economic loss.
Representative Matters
- Representing vessel owners/operators in the matter of the Complaint of Trico Marine Operators, Inc., 01-31323 U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which resulted in judgment in favor of the vessel owners/operators and award of damages and full indemnity as well as damages and reimbursement of certain expenses.
- Serving as liaison counsel for the property damage claimants in litigation arising from the destruction of the Interstate 40 Bridge in Oklahoma.
- Representing complex property damage disputes in federal court practice and in actions brought under the Limitation of Vessel Owner’s Liability Act when litigating many vessel allision and collision cases.
- Drafting and negotiating maritime and oilfield contracts, including vessel construction and repair contracts. Led a team in a significant marine financing transaction for the construction of U.S. flag tank ships which involved the negotiation and drafting of a variety of construction, fabrication, design and procurement contracts, complex vessel financing, chartering and multiple vessel module construction agreements.
Understanding the risks and contributions of the maritime and offshore industries is a daily concern at Adams and Reese. We take a personal interest in the owners and stakeholders so that when you need an answer or trusted resource, we are the firm to call.
