Sam represents clients in litigation matters with a focus on admiralty and maritime law. He represents vessel owners and operators, charterers, construction and dredging firms, freight forwarders, inland carriers, lenders, marina operators, marine surveyors, marine trades providers, stevedores, and terminal operators in maritime litigation, as well as in marine-related commercial and corporate transactions. Sam’s practice covers an array of maritime disputes, including maritime collisions and casualties, charter party and marine services agreements, personal injury and death claims, Admiralty Rules B, C and D actions and insurance coverage disputes. He also handles maritime financing, documentation and registration matters in connection with both commercial vessels and private yachts.
Recent Experience
- Attachment of chemical products tanker on behalf of foreign companies in connection with breach of a charter party and failure to pay monies due under a towage contract.
- Arrest of chemical products tanker on behalf of Cypriot interests in connection with the shipowner’s failure to pay monies due for the provision of bunkers and satellite communication services to the vessel.
- Attachment of tugboat in order to obtain security for breach of towage agreement
- Defense of numerous employers against maritime personal injury claims for Jones Act negligence, Unseaworthiness and Maintenance and Cure
- Representation of Moroccan cargo interest in suits for cargo damage
- Representation of numerous entities in arguing preemption of M.G.L. c. 93A and 176D claims by federal admiralty law
- Defense of maritime lien claimant against claims for wrongful arrest of vessel
- Defense of numerous passenger vessels against claims for general maritime law negligence
- Defense and representation of container lessor against arrest and attachment claims
- Arrest of a pleasure vessel and prosecution of a claim for the equitable subordination of a first Preferred Ship Mortgage lien to maritime lien claims for necessaries
- Arrest and Foreclosure of vessels under Preferred Ship and Fleet Mortgages
- Representation of Petitioners in Limitation of Liability Act Proceedings and maritime death claims
- Defense of marine underwriters in denial of coverage arbitration
- Defense of vessel owners against products liability claims
- Representation of employers in securing Maritime Employers Liability coverage
- Attendance in the event of United States Coast Guard/ United States Customs inspections and/or casualties
- Representation of yacht dealers and buyers in vessel purchase and sale agreements
- Representation of vessel owners and charterers in bareboat, time and voyage charter negotiations
- Representation of vessel owners with respect to vessel documentation and flagging issues
- Representation of banks and private lenders in the negotiation of Preferred Ship and Fleet Mortgages
- Representation of various entities in marine services agreements
- Representation of the purchaser of a preferred ship mortgage note on a vessel in the purchase of the mortgage note, the self help remedy of private repossession and sale of the vessel pursuant to state law, and the subsequent federal documentation of the vessel
- Representation of boat yards in the disposal and/or sale of abandoned vessels pursuant to the Rhode Island Drydock Statute and the Massachusetts Act Relative to the Disposition of Abandoned Vessels
- Representation of dredging contractors in obtaining U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits
- Representation of vessel owners in obtaining state tax abatements under state law for vessels which are already subject to corporate excise taxes
Professional Activities
Maritime Law Association of the United States
- Maritime Practice and Procedure Committee
- Point person for review of Local Admiralty Rules for all Federal Districts
- Salvage Committee, contributor to the Recent Developments in Salvage Law
- Marine Finance Committee
- Young Lawyers Committee
- YLC Liaison to Maritime Practice and Procedure Committee
Massachusetts Bar Association
Connecticut Maritime Association
Rhode Island Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
American Bar Association
Member of Ad-Hoc Subcommittee for District of Rhode Island Local Rules Review Committee which drafted the Local Admiralty Rules for the District of Rhode Island, effective as of January 15, 2013
Defense Counsel of Rhode Island
Publications
Contributor to
Benedict's Maritime BulletinCivic Activities
The Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Narragansett Bay