Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith’s maritime litigation practice group has been ranked in the Chambers USA 2026 guide. The comprehensive research by Chambers and Partners relies on client feedback, strength of matters, and market feedback. The Firm’s first ranking in Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside of New York) supports its decades-long history of success in maritime litigation defense, leadership in the legal profession, and earned reputation for experience and knowledge in all facets of admiralty law.
Galloway’s Maritime Litigation Practice
Readily available across bodies of water around the world, Galloway’s maritime lawyers advise vessel owners, charterers, offshore operators and contractors, towing companies, marinas and vessel repair facilities, Protection and Indemnity Clubs, yacht clubs, marine insurers, underwriters, and brokers.
Maritime litigation attorneys at the Firm understand the complexities and specialization of the maritime industry and its legal issues, practicing before federal and state courts, arbitration panels, and regulatory bodies across the country.
Nationwide Recognition in Maritime Litigation
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith secured a Band 2 ranking in the Chambers USA 2026 guide for Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside of New York). Chambers is one of the most respected and prestigious rankings for law firms around the world. The nationwide recognition honors Galloway’s maritime practice group as a leading admiralty litigation firm.
Maritime Litigation Experience
Galloway attorneys have extensive experience in maritime matters, including:
- Jones Act defense and general maritime law defense
- Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWC)
- Marine insurance coverage and defense
- Charter party, towage, shipbuilding/repair, and other maritime contracts
- Vessel collisions, allisions, and casualty response
- Cargo claims and Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA)
- Vessel arrests and attachments
- Environmental and spill-related liabilities and regulatory engagement, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Texas Oil Spill Prevention and Recovery Act, Oil Pollution Act of 1990, and Texas and Louisiana Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Acts
Galloway’s Geographic Reach in Maritime Litigation
As Gulf Coast maritime defense lawyers, our team is regionally positioned and maintains a strategic presence in major U.S. port cities along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Along major corridors of the maritime economy, Galloway has offices in New Orleans, Houston, Gulfport, Mobile, Pensacola, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and Jacksonville. Our regional reach is supported by nationwide recognition by Chambers, that our team is in prime position to handle maritime matters where shipping, energy, and port operations intersect.
Related Recognition for Maritime
Managing Director Jason Waguespack leads Galloway’s maritime practice group. His accolades include Best Lawyers, New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law Hall of Fame, and the New Orleans Bar Association Distinguished Maritime Lawyer.
Additionally, Galloway was recognized as a Best Law Firm in 2026 as National Tier 1 in Admiralty and Maritime Law, and Regional Tier 1 in Admiralty and Maritime Law for Houston and New Orleans.
Client-Focused Approach in Maritime Representation
Our approach emphasizes early risk assessment, targeted discovery, and efficient resolution when appropriate, while remaining ready for arbitration or trial. Galloway attorneys address urgent matters and evolving exposure across the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. They have particular experience in risk mitigation in high-value claims and coordination with insurers and corporate risk teams.
A key feature of the team’s maritime representation is 24/7 emergency response with coordinated, rapid response to maritime incidents. Galloway maritime attorneys regularly work with Firm attorneys in Longshore/Defense Base Act, transportation, energy, insurance defense, and commercial litigation.
With a nationwide recognition in maritime litigation, Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith demonstrates its experience, expertise, and client service for a specialized and technical industry at the heart of American shipping economy.