Admiralty and Maritime Law together with Waterfront Property Law serve as the primary practice areas of Baylaw, LLC. Our experienced attorneys can help to navigate you through the myriad of maritime legal issues that you may encounter, whether you are the owner of a large marine trades business or a weekend recreational boater.
Preferred Ship Mortgages, Maritime Liens and Vessel Arrests
Baylaw, LLC represents a number of clients including individuals marine lenders in the drafting, execution and recordation of preferred ships mortgages and other maritime liens. When circumstances make the foreclosure of preferred ship mortgages necessary we are experienced in the procedural processes and substantive law to execute the same in an efficient manner. Because of our connections and relationships with collateral and asset recovery specialists we can easily facilitate the arrest of vessels and arrange for appropriate protections and substitute custodians.
Recreational and Commercial Vessel Transactions
Our attorneys have worked with numerous recreational and commercial vessel purchasers and sellers as well as marine lenders, brokers and insurance agents over the years to successfully close hundreds of recreational and commercial vessel transactions. We have the facilities and knowledge to draft all appropriate purchase contracts and documentation to ensure a smooth experience for all parties. After closing our team has a wide breadth of experience in the federal documentation and offshore flagging of recreational and commercial vessels.
Maritime Contracts and Charter Parties
In addition vessel transactions, our attorneys have worked with yacht charter companies, boat builders, and a wide variety of marine trades businesses to draft numerous maritime and commercial contracts. Our firm has drafted countless charter parties including demise, voyage, and time charters. In addition, as active members of the Marine Trades Association of Maryland our attorneys have assisted marine trades companies by drafting various service agreements, salvage agreements, bills of lading, towing agreements, and marine transportation agreements of many varieties. We have served as counsel for various Chesapeake Bay area marinas and boatyards and drafted marine purchase agreement, dockage contracts and employment agreements.
Captain and Crew Contracts and Claims
The attorneys at Baylaw, LLC have represented shipowners, captains and crew members over the years and have gained tremendous experience in the potential pitfalls and liabilities of all parties involved in the shipowner-crew relationship. Our attorneys can assist with the creation to limited liability companies and the drafting of captains contracts to ensure that liability is mitigated before the captain steps onboard. Our firm is also well-suited to prosecute and defend Jones Act unseaworthiness and maintenance and cure claims against vessel owners and operators.
Marinas and Boatyards
Baylaw, LLC assists its clients who operate marinas and boatyards by serving as general counsel for the myriad of esoteric issues that arise in the daily operation of these businesses. Beyond drafting dockage and storage agreements, we have dealt with zoning and environmental compliance matters, products liability matters and repairer’s liability issues. Our attorneys are also prepared to answer questions and resolve issues dealing with the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act.
Recreational Marine Litigation
Our attorneys have a broad base of experience in the investigation, reconstruction, prosecution and defense of recreational boating casualties and claims. Representative cases include collisions, groundings, sinkings, fires, wake injuries and heavy weather casualties, which resulted in wrongful death, serious personal injury or significant property damage. Our attorneys have the skill, knowledge and experience to properly investigate and reconstruct recreational boating accidents in order to be able to provide a skillful prosecution or defense of such claims.
Limitation of Liability
One the most powerful and arcane defenses available to a ship owner is the right to petition for exoneration or limitation of liability pursuant to the Ship Owners Liability of Liability Act. Our attorneys understand the power that this defense offers, including control of the timing and venue of litigation. Limitation of Liability proceedings require a keen understanding of not only the elements necessary to make such a claim but also of the esoteric procedural requirements of the same. This type of litigation is extremely complex and unique to the practice of maritime law. The attorneys at Baylaw, LLC are experienced to lead you through this process after a casualty.
Maritime Commercial Litigation
Baylaw, LLC is regularly participates in a host of maritime commercial litigation. Past case work has included breach of dockage and storage contracts, charter disputes, ship constructions disputes, foreclosure of preferred ship mortgages and other Maritime liens and salvage claims. We have also fought for vessel dealers and brokers who have encountered sales and use tax issues in the State of Maryland.
Maritime Regulatory Matters
Our experienced attorneys and location close to our nation’s capital and within the capital of the State of Maryland make our firm well-suited to handle many maritime regulatory matters. Our firm regularly defends captains and officers in Coast Guard License Suspension and Revocation Proceedings. We have assisted vessel owners and operators in a range of documentation and endorsement issues including obtaining MARAD waivers under to achieve Jones Act compliance.
We have experience and knowledge in administrative procedures and regulations regarding claims against the State of Maryland and federal administrative claims the Federal Tort in Claims Act, Suits in Admiralty Act, Public Vessels Act, Military Claims Act and other administrative claims statutes.
Marine Ecology Law
Marine ecology law often straddles the line between criminal law and general maritime law. Our attorneys have handles a range of marine environmental matters including abandoned boat recovery, oil spill prevention, clean-up and recovery operations, coral reef damage claims, and sea bottom claims. We also assist area trade organizations with the planning and drafting of marine environmental legislation and regulations. Baylaw, LLC’s attorneys are also available to assist criminal defense practitioners in the defense of criminal prosecutions for violation of marine environmental statutes and regulations.