Practice Areas & Industries: Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles, L.L.P.

Practice/Industry Group Overview

Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles' Marine & Energy Department established its reputation in the marine industry in the early 1930s and is one of the most prominent Admiralty & Offshore Law and Litigation practices in New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Today, the Department performs all types of maritime- and offshore-related legal services, many of which involve extensive federal and state court litigation, arbitration and administration with various marine-related federal agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Maritime Commission and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Maritime & Offshore Torts
DK&S handles personal injury and wrongful death; products liability; collision; allision; fire; stranding; sinking; towage; and property damage cases of all kinds, including pipeline, rig and platform damage arising from marine operations in the offshore petroleum industry.

Maritime Contracts
Our attorneys have drafted and advised on ship building and ship repair contracts, charter parties, ship financing, sales, purchase and lease-purchase agreements, salvage, general average, contracts of affreightment, and marine insurance coverage disputes. We currently offer a popular value-added seminar on "Risk Allocation in Oilfield Contracts."

Cargo
DK&S has been involved in every aspect of cargo claims, including claims for damage and demurrage, breach of charter parties affecting cargo interests, salvage, and particular and general average.

Environmental
We have notable experience dealing with water pollution issues, including the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and other federal and state environmental laws and regulations.

A detailed list of the many maritime issues DK&S has successfully handled includes:

• Allisions and Collisions
• Bills of Lading
• Cargo Damage
• Charter Party Disputes
• Charter Party Transactions
• Death on the High Seas Act (DOSHA) Claims
• Demurrage claims
• Drafting Affreightment Contracts
• Drafting Towage Agreements
• Environmental Contamination, Oil Spills and Pollution Liabilities
• Fire and Explosions
• General Average Claims
• Indemnity and Insurance Obligations
• Jones Act and General Maritime Law Damage Claims
• LHWCA Claims
• Limitation of Liability
• Marine Insurance Coverage Opinions and Disputes
• Maritime Lien Claims
• Master Service Agreements
• Offshore Platform Casualties
• Personal Injury Claims
• Products Liability Claims
• Regulatory Compliance and Proceedings
• Resolution of Towing Disputes
• Seaman's Wage Claims
• Ship Building and Repair Contracts
• Ship and Marine Equipment Transactions and Documentation
• Shipping
• Vessel Salvage
• Vessel Strandings and Sinkings
• Wreck Removal
• Wrongful Death Claims

Energy
Areas of the firm's Energy practice include:

• Breach of Contract Claims Arising from Offshore and Inshore Exploration and Related Activity
• Commercial Disputes
• Construction Claims
• Deferred and Loss Production Claims
• Drafting Oilfield Contracts and Master Service Agreements
• Enforcement and Defense of Contractual Indemnity and Insurance Obligations in Master Service Agreements
• Insurance issues
• Oilfield Clean-up Requirements and Land Damage Claims
• Oilfield Well Explosion and Casualties
• Personal injury and Wrongful Death Claims
• Product Liability Claims
• Property Damage Claims