Successful maritime operations require disciplined legal support rooted in the realities of vessel operations, offshore services, terminals, and marina insurance programs. Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith is regionally positioned, experienced, and readily accessible for maritime law.

Galloway represents vessel owners and operators, offshore service providers, shipyards, terminals, and insurers in claims and disputes across blue and brown water trade. Our maritime attorneys understand the specialized maritime industry and its legal issues, with experience practicing before federal and state courts, arbitration panels, and regulatory bodies across the country. Galloway’s maritime defense has been recognized through regular presentations on the national and international level, and our maritime attorneys have received numerous honors.

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.

Maritime Capabilities

Galloway’s maritime attorneys have extensive experience in maritime matters, including:

• Jones Act 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
• Vessell 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

Strategic Defense in Complex Maritime Matters

Maritime disputes can involve technical facts, multi-party dynamics, and regulatory overlays. Galloway partners with insurers, P&I interests, risk managers, and operations personnel to align defense strategy with business objectives and coverage considerations. Our maritime team focuses on developing the factual record early, implementing targeted motion practice, and positioning matters for resolution.

Jones Act Defense

Galloway integrates prompt investigation, evidence preservation, and strategic coordination from the onset of a matter. We regularly defend Jones Act claims with attention to early determinations that frequently shape strategy and exposure, including:

• Seaman status and vessel connection
• Negligence and causation
• Unseaworthiness allegations
• Maintenance and cure obligations and defense
• Limitation of Liability

Many maritime injury claims depend on whether the Jones Act or the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act applies. Galloway’s Longshore team collaborates on matters where appropriate, ensuring defense strategy no matter which Act applies.

Maritime Contracts

A key element of our maritime practice is advising on, negotiating, and litigating the full life cycle of maritime contracts, including:

• Charter parties, brokerage terms, and performance disputes
• Towage agreements
• Shipbuilding, conversion, and repair contracts
• Cargo carriage terms and indemnity structures
• Risk allocation and additional insured obligations
• Trade and regulatory considerations affecting contract performance

24/7 Emergency Response Team

Maritime incidents can occur at any time and require rapid, coordinated response. Our Emergency Response Team is organized and can be deployed to support:

• On-scene investigation and evidence preparation
• Coordination with surveyors, insurers, and operations personnel
• Initial fact development and regulatory engagement when appropriate

Regional Reach Across Gulf and Atlantic Ports

Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith maintains a strategic presence in major U.S. port cities along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, where ports function as the operational centers of maritime commerce, vessel traffic, and cargo movement. With offices in New Orleans, Houston, Gulfport, Mobile, Pensacola, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and Jacksonville, the firm is positioned to handle maritime and admiralty matters where shipping, offshore energy, and port operations intersect.

From cargo claims tied to the Mississippi River system to vessel operations, marine insurance disputes, and offshore incidents in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast, the Firm’s maritime attorneys are positioned where maritime activity occurs. This geographic reach allows Galloway to advise and defend shipowners, operators, insurers, and maritime employers in matters arising at ports, terminals, shipyards, and navigable waterways throughout the Southeast, Gulf Coast, and beyond.