Maritime and Transportation

The Maritime and Transportation group at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP represents marine, intermodal, trucking, rail, and energy interests, and has also represented pipe liners and at times air carriers and their respective insurers.

This multifaceted practice includes cargo and products claims; bankruptcy and restructuring; corporate and finance matters; sustainable growth; and defense of criminal investigations, including corporate compliance matters such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and sanctions administered by the U. S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control. The practice calls upon the firm’s E-Discovery group when tackling electronic discovery issues. The firm’s class action defense team, a practice with a reputation national in scope, has also acted on behalf of clients in the transportation sector.

Montgomery McCracken serves all sectors of the maritime industry including ship owners, charterers, pilots, cargo owners, shipyards, terminals, commodities traders, non-vessel operators and non-vessel operating common carriers.  Maritime claims litigation includes pollution incidents, collisions, tug and tow issues, salvage, cargo loss and damage, personal injury claims, maritime products liability, intermodal transport, limitations on liabilities, regulatory, administrative, and alternative dispute resolution, proceedings  insurance and reinsurance issues, subrogation claims, and coverage disputes.

Montgomery McCracken also serves all interests concerned with the intermodal movement of containers, including chassis, rail, port authorities and terminals as well as in the insurers covering the exposures that exist in the intermodal transportation of goods. The firm has extensive experience in trucking litigation in connection with, and apart from intermodal movement of containers.

Of all the maritime claims today, pollution incidents pose the most substantial threat to the members of the industry.  Montgomery McCracken defends all civil and criminal aspects of these incidents, including natural resource damage claims.

Montgomery McCracken has assembled a multidisciplinary strike team of lawyers with extensive experience in maritime, criminal and environmental law.  With lawyers in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York, as well as close correspondents world-wide, we can marshal resources on a moment’s notice to assist clients in response to an incident. We have also developed risk management programs so that clients can proactively prepare for the demands of a crisis response.

Our business transaction and advisory services lawyers assist clients with contract preparation and review, development of corporate compliance programs  and auditing performance under such protocols, general corporate matters, corporate finance, review of insurance policies and programs, employment matters, and regulatory updates.  Montgomery McCracken considers first and foremost that its lawyers are counselors. Whether it is a litigation matter, a business transaction, or risk prevention, the knowledge gained though our years of experience in the industry, enables us to fashion recommendations consistent with our clients’ objectives.  Moreover, as a matter evolves, we reassess the proposed solution to determine whether new developments suggest that modifications are advisable.

We are also sensitive to the clients’ internal requirements in terms of such issues as reporting the progress of a matter, estimating the magnitude of costs, liabilities and recoveries, the clients’ deadlines for our work product, and other issues related to the proper handling a matter. In short, for every matter entrusted to us, large or small, simple or complex, we tailor our services to the circumstances encountered and our clients’ needs. Our goal is to build long term relationships with our clients where mutual trust and respect lie at the core.