Biography
Vincent M. DeOrchis is co-chair of the firm’s Maritime and Transportation practice group. He also runs the firm’s Maritime Law Trainee Program which provides foreign lawyers (and P&I Club claims handlers) with an opportunity to observe the practices of maritime and transportation law in the United States.
Prior to joining Montgomery McCracken, Vince was a founding partner with DeOrchis & Partners. He has handled many of the leading cases in U.S. maritime law involving cargo, charter party, limitation of liability and hull claims.
Vince is a consulting expert to the U.S. State Department with respect to the UNCITRAL project to draft a new international cargo liability instrument. He has tried numerous cases, appeals and arbitrations throughout the United States during his career.
Selected Representations
- Visiting Professor, John Simms Distinguished Admiralty Practitioner in Residence, Tulane University, 2006
- Appointed to assist the U.S. Department of State in respect to negotiations in UNCITRAL regarding the “Rotterdam Rules Convention.” 2002-2008
- Lord & Taylor v. Zim Integrated Shipping Services, 13 Civ. 3478 (SDNY). (Defense of Act of God upheld in a case involving Hurricane Sandy.)
- Lead counsel, In the Matter of Rationis Enterprises Inc.– MSC CARLA, 325 F. Supp. 2d 318 (SDNY). (Limitation of Liability proceeding and subsequent indemnity case against Korean shipbuilder for a vessel that broke in half at sea.)
- Bally, Inc. v. M/V ZIM AMERICA, 22 F.3d 65 (2d Cir. 1994). (New law regarding the burden on a cargo owner to prove that the missing weight of cargo exists at the time of delivery from a carrier.)
- O’Connell Machinery Co. v. M/V AMERICANA, 797 F.2d 1130 (2d Cir. 1980).(Peril of the Sea defense upheld for a container that fell during a storm, and an arrest proceeding vacated due to sovereign immunity of a ship owner only partly owned by a foreign government.)
Selected Publications
- Quoted, “Left flat by abandoned tires,” American Shipper, May 2016
- Quoted, “US imports set to face little VGM scrutiny from Coast Guard,” The Journal of Commerce, April 6, 2016
- Quoted, “TOTE seeks exoneration or limitation of liability in El Faro sinking,” American Shipper, November 2, 2015
- Quoted, “Judge Says Terminal Not Liable for Sandy-Soaked Sweaters,” New York Law Journal, June 12, 2015
- Authored, “Validation Principle May Increase Number of Future Arbitrations,” MEALEY’S International Arbitration Report, May 31, 2014
- Authored, “Party is Sanctioned for Destruction of Electronic Documents After Receiving a Claim,” Signals Newsletter, April 2014
- Noted, “ICC Issues Award For Sweeteners Plus In Dispute Over $7 Million Escrow,” MEALEY’S International Arbitration Report, March 25, 2013
- Co-authored “Negotiation – An Attorney’s Manual and Inside the Minds: Founding a Law Firm”
Selected Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, “Hot Topics: what’s new in the sectors?” International Bar Association’s 2017 Maritime and Transport Law Conference: Shipping, energy and commodities – Legal challenges in offshore, ports and sea carriage, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 2017
- Moderator, ACI Admiralty & Maritime Claims & Litigation Conference, Houston, Texas, January 2016
- A Witches’ Brew of Bananas and Oil, Naphtha and Crude, brings Hurricanes and Bankruptcy and Low- Sulfur Fuel: Current Trends in U.S. Maritime Law, International Maritime Law Seminar, London, October 2015
- Organizer and Moderator, International Maritime Law Seminar, held yearly in London, since 2006
- Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards in the United States, International Maritime Law Seminar, London, September 27, 2012
- Where Have Settlements Gone? The Settlement Scene as Viewed From the 19th Floor Above Manhattan, International Maritime Law Seminar, London, October 27, 2011
- Carriage of Goods, International Legal Training (“ILT”) Conference, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, October 20, 2011
- Management of Large Casualties: Practical Thoughts and Suggestions, International London Seminar, October, 2010, PowerPoint Presentation
- The Rotterdam Rules: Rough Seas or Smooth Sailing Ahead? IBA Vancouver, October 2010
- UNCITRAL and the Rotterdam Rules: A Change in the Sea for Carriage of Goods, Invited speaker at Liberty International Underwriters, NYC, August 2010
- Reefer Containers: A New Generation But Still Encountering Problems, Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) Inc., New York, NY, March 2010
- Applying The Rotterdam Rules: A Comparison of Maritime Case Law Under COGSA and the Rotterdam Rules, Maritime Law Association Fall Meeting, Hilton Head, SC, November 2009
- When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going – A Carrier’s Tough Job in a Tough Economy, International London Seminar, October 2009
- Analysis of the Rotterdam Rules, Ministry of Justice, Bogota, Colombia, November 2008
- Rule B Attachments and Rule C Arrest: A Side-By-Side Comparison, Maritime Bar Association, Santiago, Chile, October 2008
- Discussion of Punitive Damages in Maritime Law, Finnish Maritime Law Society, March 2008
- Arrest of Vessels, International London Seminar, November 2007
- Has The Time Come For Anonymous Cargo To Come Out Of The Box? Iberio Americano Institute, November 2007
- Third Party Practice Under United States Law, International London Seminar, October 2006
Honors & Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America, Maritime Law, 2006 – 2018 Editions (consecutively)
- Who’s Who Legal, Shipping & Maritime, 2010 and 2015
- Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers Guide, Transportation: Shipping: Litigation, 2017-2018
- New York Super Lawyers, 2011-2018, Metro Editions, The Annual List – The Top Attorneys in the New York Metro Area
- Nominated by GlobalLawExperts for the position of Legal Adviser for Maritime Law in America, September 2011
- New York Super Lawyers. 2010, Metro Edition, Article – Sea Change, How Vincent DeOrchis Helped Update 80-Year Old Maritime Law
- Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers Guide, Transportation: Shipping: Litigation, 2009
- Martindale, Hubbell AV Rated
Professional Activities & Achievements
- Serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy, Association of Transportation Law Professionals, Inc. (ATLP)
- Titulary member of the Comitè Maritime International (CMI)
- Served on the board of directors of the Maritime Law Association of the United States
- Served as Chairman of the Committee on Carriage of Goods, and Vice Chair of the Committee on Maritime Fraud
- Served on the board of directors of New York Maritime, Inc. (NYMAR)
- Participated as a briefing judge in the Judge John R. Brown National Moot Court Competition
Academic Achievements
Vince received a J.D. degree from Fordham Law School in 1974. He graduated from Fordham College in 1971.
