Practice Areas

Maritime

GKG Law has been one of the leading maritime firms in the country since 1955. We have participated in virtually every major legal issue affecting the maritime industry in the United States. We have litigated several cases before the United States Supreme Court, launched major legislative initiatives before Congress, and participated in the vast majority of the most important regulatory proceedings conducted at the agencies involved with maritime matters.

We are proud to say that our lawyers have helped shape the industry as it stands today. We crafted the legal framework for the first major consortium of ocean carriers, were among the first to test the statutory right to recover damages for violating United States shipping laws, and developed the legal formulation for the non-vessel operating common carrier.

GKG Law’s attorneys have represented nearly every type of business in the industry. Among our current clients are vessel operating ocean carriers, non-vessel operating common carriers, shippers, shippers’ associations, ports, freight forwarders, and custom house brokers. Serving this wide range of clients gives us insight into and understanding of all aspects of the maritime business and is a core strength of our practice.

Our maritime activities are divided into four basic areas: regulatory, commercial, litigation, and legislative. In the regulatory field, we practice before the Federal Maritime Commission, the United States Maritime Administration, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies concerning virtually every law these agencies are required to administer. Our maritime attorneys routinely provide regulatory compliance counseling and advice, and participate in administrative litigation, defense of enforcement proceedings, rulemakings, agreement filings and antitrust advice, customs and export control, and licensing and bonding applications.

In the commercial area, we negotiate and draft service contracts, conference and consortium agreements, joint service arrangements, space charters, joint ventures, bills of lading, and freight contracts. We plan and prepare intermodal arrangements, and draft and negotiate charters, marine terminal leases, organic documents for shippers’ associations and other industry groups, and various types of operating agreements. In conjunction with our commercial lawyers, we handle all aspects of the purchase, sale, and financing of vessels and shipping companies, and assist in a variety of other ways for clients involved in the liner and non-liner shipping industries.

GKG Law’s lawyers routinely engage in litigation before Federal and state courts throughout the country. Typically issues involve commercial and service contracts, freight collection, cargo detention, claims and damages, as well as various regulatory matters. We have defended our clients in antitrust matters and handled numerous appeals of agency decisions in the Federal circuit courts.

We represent clients before the United States Congress and House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over legislation affecting maritime enterprises. Our broad experience in all transportation modes enhances our ability to represent clients on legislation that requires the approval of several committees, as well as the support of Executive Branch agencies not normally involved in the maritime area.

Our clients value the industry experience our maritime attorneys offer. This experience facilitates our understanding of their concerns, improves the efficiency with which problems are handled, and offers the advantage of seasoned insight into each client’s problems.