MLA Committees

Reviews current developments in arbitration and mediation in the United States and abroad; analyzes the effect of domestic legislation and international law on arbitration practice; encourages increased utilization of alternative dispute resolution methods in maritime contexts; has proposed mediation guidelines; maintains a close relationship with the Society of Maritime Arbitrators and other arbitral organizations.
Chair: CHRISTOPHER R. NOLAN
Vice Chair: LINDSAY A. SAKAL
Secretary: CASEY O’BRIEN
Board Liaison: WILLIAM R. CONNOR III
YLC Liaison: IFIGENEIA XANTHOPOULOU

Chair: THOMAS H. BELKNAP, JR.

Subcommittee of Arbitration and ADR

Reviews, monitors, discusses and reports on legal developments regarding the spectrum of advanced autonomy, autonomous functionality, and smart marine technology on vessels, Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), vehicles, and systems in the maritime and offshore industries.

Chair: JOSEPH E. KRAMEK
Vice Chair: ALLISON N. SKOPEC
Secretary: GUYER S. BOGEN
Board Liaison: DAVID SUMP
YLC Liaison: ELIZABETH STRUNK

MLA Delegate to BIMCO Documentary Committee: CONTE CICALA

Studies court decisions and regimes of law covering the allocation of risks of cargo at sea and in intermodal transportation, including, e.g., the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the Rotterdam Rules, Hague Rules, Visby Amendments drafted by the Comité Maritime International, the 1978 Hamburg Rules Convention, as well as various other international agreements and transportation regimes of trading partners of the United States; tracks developments in subjects related to property transport and logistics chains, including utilization of autonomous carriage systems, bills of lading, letters of indemnity, e-commerce, and detention and demurrage considerations; with publication of a newsletter on current developments.

Chair: BRIAN P.R. EISENHOWER
Vice Chair: KRISTIE H. THOMPSON
Secretary: KATHERINE CHRISTODOULATOS
Board Liaison: ALEXANDER GILES
YLC Liaison:

The MLA is accredited by the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board as a provider of continuing legal education (CLE) to attorneys admitted to the New York Bar. The MLA CLE Committee oversees the MLA’s New York CLE accreditation. This involves advising other MLA Committees and external CLE co-sponsors on the requirements and procedures for ensuring that MLA sponsored and co-sponsored CLE programs are worthy of CLE credit. To qualify for CLE credit in New York, a program must cover appropriate legal topics; provide its attendees with written papers prepared by the speakers; speakers’ biographies; certificates of attendance; course evaluations; and sign-in sheets. Any MLA Committee or other organization wishing to obtain CLE credit for a program through the MLA is requested to contact the MLA CLE Committee Chair for a more complete description of the procedures required to obtain CLE credit.

Chair: IMRAN O. SHAUKAT
Secretary: CHRISTOPHER ULFERS
Board Liaison: CAROLYN ELIZABETH BUNDY
YLC Liaison: KYLE M. BRENNAN

Provides a forum for those involved in all aspects of this industry; reviews  developments and challenges arising from cruise and passenger ship operations and monitors governmental regulations affecting the industry.

Chair: JENNIFER PORTER
Vice Chair: ZACHARY POLITIS
Secretary: ANUSHA PILLAY
Board Liaison: ED POWERS
YLC Liaison: MARGARET STANDO

Reviews legal and practical developments involving cybersecurity in the maritime environment; keeps the Association informed of developments in cybersecurity risk management and regulatory compliance; maintains close contact with Classification Societies and the U.S. Coast Guard on cybersecurity issues.

Chair: KATE B. BELMONT
Vice Chair: JONAS S. PATZWALL
Secretary: KATHARINA KRAATZ-DUNKEL
Board Liaison: IMRAN SHAUKAT
YLC Liaison: ZACHARY J. FARLEY

Serves as a forum for monitoring maritime law issues as they impact the fishing industry; while keeping the MLA membership up-to-date on legal developments in this important segment of U.S. maritime commerce, the Fisheries Committee also considers proposals for change in the statutes and regulations affecting the fishing industry.

Chair: CHRISTOPHER N. HARRELL
Vice-Chair: OLAF APRANS
Secretary: JEANNE E. NOONAN
Board Liaison: SAM BLATCHLEY
YLC Liaison: JUSTIN GUTHRIE

Chair: JESSICA L. MCCLELLAN
Vice Chair: THOMAS M. BROWN
Secretary: JEANNE AMY
Board Liaison: BARBARA HOLLAND
YLC Liaison: LT THOMAS DECINA

Chair: KURT C. ODELL
Vice Chair: ALESSANDRA TEBALDI
Secretary: LEANNE O’LOUGHLIN
Board Liaison: JESSICA MCCLELLAN
Liaison: CHELSEA CREWS

Provides a forum for all aspects of the inland waters practice, including the rivers and Great Lakes, as well as all aspects of the towing industry, including inland towing, ocean towing, ship assist and docking.

Chair: JASON C. PEDIGO
Vice Chair: ROWEN ASPRODITES
Secretary: CHRISTOPHER ULFERS
Board Liaison: DAVID BOYAJIN
YLC Liaison: WILLIAM E. CROUSE

Subcommittee of Inland Waters and Towing: Appointed in 2007, the committee monitors and assists industry and government efforts to promote “short sea shipping,” i.e., the revitalization of domestic maritime commerce to relieve landside gridlock in a green way. Intriguing technologies are emerging for the cost-effective transport of commuters, containers, and trailers by coastal vessels while reducing highway congestion, conserving fuel, and improving air quality. Special attention will be focused on the National Strategy for the Marine Transportation System (July 2008) and its identification of port infrastructure needs, tax and user fee inequities, and enhanced economic efficiencies.

CHAIR: C. KENT ROBERTS

Subcommittee of Inland Waters and Towing

Chair: LANCE M. SANNINO

Subcommittee of Inland Waters and Towing: Appointed in 2021

Chair: DAVID M. SPOTTS

Subcommittee of Inland Waters and Towing

Tracks developments in international law, helps coordinate MLA participation in international organizations and in drafting conventions; has Subcommittees on Classification Societies, Comité Maritime International, and International Law of the Sea.

Chair:JESSICA LINK MARTYN
Vice Chair: CHRISTOPHER M. HANNAN
Secretary: KENDERICK JORDAN
Board Liaison: JAMES MOSELEY
YLC Liaison: ELLEN MCGLYNN

Chair: JOHN D. KIMBALL

Subcommittee of International Organizations, Conventions and Standards

Chair: DOUGLAS R. BURNETT

Subcommittee of International Organizations, Conventions and Standards

This Committee is comprised of those members that teach maritime law or which to become involved in becoming a professor of maritime law.

Chair: Michael F. Sturley

Monitors legal developments, proposes and comments on legislation and regulation, and conducts education projects that cover all aspects of vessel financing, including ship mortgages, maritime liens, foreclosures and bankruptcy, vessel documentation, cabotage, and taxation. Subcommittees include Maritime Liens and Mortgages (a joint subcommittee with the Practice and Procedure Committee), Coast Guard Documentation, U.S. Citizenship and Related Matters, Yacht Financing, and Taxation.

Chair: GREG CHASE
Vice Chair: JOHN C. STRATAKIS
Secretary: WILLIAM C. BALDWIN
Board Liaison: TOM WYNNE
YLC Liaison: BRIAN P. MALONEY

Chair: CONSTANTINE G. PAPAVIZAS
Vice-Chair: NICHOLAS W. PAINE

Subcommittee of Marine Financing

Chair: MICHAEL S. TIMPONE

Subcommittee of Marine Financing

Chair: MICHAEL J. FREVOLA

Subcommittee of Marine Financing

Chair: DAVID M. BOHONNON
Vice Chair: G. ROBERT TONEY

Subcommittee of Marine Financing

Monitors legal and practical developments in this area; considers the necessity and desirability of changes in the law and practice; keeps the Association informed of current developments in underwriting, claims handling, antitrust considerations, state regulation, general average rules and practices and relationships between adjusters and attorneys; has prepared comprehensive annotations of marine policies; has Subcommittees directed specifically to Cargo Insurance, General Average, and Hull and P & I Insurance.

Chair: PAMELA A. PALMER
Vice-Chair: STEPHANIE A. PROPSOM
Secretary: AARON B. GREENBAUM
Board Liaison: WILLIAM FENNELL
YLC Liaison: JESSIE SHIFALO

Chair: FRANK JORDAN

Subcommittee of Marine Insurance and General Average

Chair: RODNEY Q. FONDA

Subcommittee of Marine Insurance and General Average

Chair: JOHN M. WOODS

Subcommittee of Marine Insurance and General Average

Chair: KEVIN ALBERTSON

Subcommittee of Marine Insurance and General Average

Reviews legal and practical developments at the international, national and state levels affecting liabilities arising from damage to the environment; assists in formulating Association comments to governmental organizations involved in this area; promotes uniformity; educates the membership about novel problems, including issues of criminal procedure, presented by greater scrutiny of operations affecting the environment.

Chair: JOSEPH WALSH II
Vice-Chair: JONI A. POITIER
Secretary: ROBERT E. O’CONNOR
Board Liaison: EDWARD J. POWERS
YLC Liaison:

Monitors substantive and procedural legal issues arising from all kinds of marine casualties, including collisions, personal injuries and death; follows developments in all aspects of maritime law which affect liabilities arising from casualties, including exoneration of or limitation of liability and claimants’ rights to file claims; advises of developments affecting rights of injured maritime personnel

Chair: FREDERICK B. GOLDSMITH
Vice Chair: JASON R. HARRIS
Secretary: ADAM E. DEITZ
Board Liaison: IVAN RODRIGUEZ
YLC Liaison: GREGORY BURTS

Reviews, monitors and reports on legal developments concerning the interplay of maritime and bankruptcy jurisdiction; studies the effects of bankruptcy on the enforcement of mortgage liens and maritime liens and remedies; monitors and comments on the effect of proposed changes to the U.S. bankruptcy code and rules as they pertain to maritime rights, remedies and financing structures; monitors shipping bankruptcies and related cross-border insolvency issues and reports to the Association on developments and trends; and considers and reports on matters unique to the restructuring and workout of debt structures in shipping.

Chair: NEIL A. QUARTARO
Vice Chair: ROBERT O’CONNOR
Secretary: TODD BAIAD
Board Liaison: ALEX GILES
YLC Liaison: NICHOLAS W. DUGDALE

Chair: BARBARA HOLLAND
KIRBY AARSHEIM
DEBORAH WATERS
MARK NEWCOMB
LISA REEVES
KATE BELMONT
JOHN WOODS
BRIAN EISENHOWER
BETSY BUNDY
JEANNE AMY
C. KENT ROBERTS
JOE WALSH
CONTE CICALA
PAMELA PALMER
JENNIFER PORTER
JESS WEBSTER
BILL RIVIERE
JANET MARSHALL
CHRISTOPHER CAREY
KATHARINE NEWMAN
NORM STOCKMAN
PHIL BUHLER
TODD BAIAD
PAST PRESIDENT HAL WATSON
PAST PRESIDENT WARREN MARWEDEL
PAST PRESIDENT DAVID FARRELL
PAST PRESIDENT TOM RUE

Reviews, discusses and reports on all matters related to maritime operations in the domestic offshore industries, including federal and state jurisprudence, administrative law, legislation, and regulations from U.S. Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Customs, Minerals Management Service, Maritime Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, the Labor Department, and state and local government agencies.

Chair: R. SCOTT JENKINS
Vice Chair: ALESSANDRA TEBALDI
Secretary: CAPT MIMI MOON
Board Liaison: GRADY S. HURLEY
YLC Liaison:

Chair: MATTHEW A. MOELLER

Subcommittee of Offshore Industries

Chair: CHRISTOPHER M. HANNAN

Subcommittee of Offshore Industries

The Our Oceans Committee monitors and reports on ocean resources and their economic, environmental, sustainable, and competing uses. We follow international and U.S. oceans policy developments in legal, scientific, and commercial spheres of interest to the MLA’s membership, including but not limited to climate change; polar ice melt, increased Arctic access, and rising sea levels; and the impact of human actions on the oceans.

Chair: SEAN D. HOUSEAL
Vice Chair: CAROLE ROUFFET
Secretary: EVA-MARIA MAYER
Board Liaison: JAMES MOSELEY, JR.
YLC Liaison: GEORGE A. CROTON

Studies developments involving existing rules and statutes governing maritime practice and advocates changes to these laws to improve efficiency of litigation and enhance consistency among jurisdictions; has developed Model Local Admiralty Rules adopted by a number of federal courts; comments on proposed changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Supplemental Admiralty Rules and assists in the process of their development to ensure harmony with admiralty practice; assisted in adoption of changes to federal rules and statutes addressing the right of interlocutory appeal, admissibility of Coast Guard marine casualty reports and forfeiture proceedings; has Subcommittees on Federal Rules and Statutes, and Local Admiralty Rules, and a Joint Subcommittee on Maritime Liens.

Chair: KIRBY L. AARSHEIM
Vice Chair: DANIEL J. CRAGG
Secretary: ELLEN McGLYNN
Board Liaison: CHRIS HANNAN
YLC Liaison: PHILIP M. THOMPSON

Chair: ROBERT J. ZAPF

Subcommittee of Practice and Procedure

Chair:

Subcommittee of Practice and Procedure

Chair: MICHAEL J. FREVOLA

Subcommittee of Practice and Procedure

The Committee screens applicants for Proctor Membership in the Association to insure, so far as possible, they meet the requirements for such as set forth in the By-Laws of the Association. It is comprised of Proctor members from various geographical locations of the United States, giving particular heed to port cities and other areas which would be involved with Admiralty and Maritime matters. Applications for Proctor Membership are initially submitted to the Membership Secretary who screens the application to check that the basic criteria as set forth in the By-Laws and stated in the application have been met. The List of applicants is then passed on to the Committee members, via the Chairman, for further screening, particularly as to knowledge, experience, reputation, etc. in the field of Admiralty Law. The geographical spread of the Committee assists in affording the opportunity of consideration of an applicant, so far as possible, by at least one Proctor Member from or near the applicant’s area. The Committee votes on its recommendation to accept each candidate and the Committee’s recommendations are given to the Membership Secretary for submission to the President and Board of Directors for final approval.

Chair: NORMAN C. SULLIVAN, JR.
Board Liaison: ALEXANDER GILES

Treats issues relating to increased use of pleasure craft and studies the impact legislation and judicial decisions directed to recreational vessels may have on maritime commerce and other areas of maritime law, such as jurisdiction and damages for personal injury; has drafted model uniform safe boating legislation so as to minimize proliferation of disparate state laws; has Subcommittees on Offshore Affairs and State Legislation.

Chair: DANIEL H. WOOSTER
Vice Chair: E. BARRETT HAILS
Secretary: CHASE ESHELMAN
Board Liaison: TODD LOCHNER
Liaison: JOSHUA PARKS

Chair: DANIEL H. WOOSTER

Subcommittee of Recreational Boating

Chair: MARK J. BUHLER

Subcommittee of Recreational Boating

Chair: TODD D. LOCHNER

Subcommittee of Recreational Boating

Helps draft proposed legislation and comments on pending bills and regulations affecting navigation, safety and other aspects of the maritime industries, particularly carriers and shipowners; coordinates MLA liaisons to government agencies including Coast Guard and FMC; has formulated Association comments on revisions to Title 46.

Chair: WILLIAM R. BENNETT, III
Vice Chair: KATHARINE F. NEWMAN
Secretary: JAMES LEVANTINO
Board Liaison: SEAN HOUSEAL
YLC Liaison: SAMUEL BLATCHLEY

Advises the Association of international and domestic legal developments concerning commercial salvage, treasure salvage, and related marine insurance issues; assists in formulating Association policy on emerging issues such as the UNESCO Convention on Underwater Cultural Heritage, Salvage Convention, and Places of Refuge; was active in promoting government action on international salvage conventions.

Chair: LCDR SALOMEE G. BRIGGS
Vice Chair: LCDR BENJAMIN ROBINSON
Secretary: JAMES ANDREW BLACK
Board Liaison: IMRAN SHAUKAT
YLC Liaison: JAMES ANDREW BLACK

Provides a forum for those involved in industries that supply goods and services to vessels, including terminal operators, stevedores, ship agents, ship chandlers, marine surveyors, shipbuilders and ship repairers, and monitors issues and developments concerning the suppliers of those goods and services; monitors customs and duty regulations; monitors issues relating to foreign trade zones; and monitors regulation and licensing by the Federal Maritime Commission.

Chair: IVAN M. RODRIGUEZ
Vice-Chair: ALBERTO J. CASTANER-PADRO
Secretary: JASON BARLOW
Board Liaison: FREDERICK GOLDSMITH
YLC Liaison: COLLEEN E. JACOBY

The Committee serves as a liaison committee to the MLA’s Board of Directors. It identifies and alerts the Board to legal decisions that give rise to decisional conflicts among the United States Circuit Courts of Appeals and district courts. The Committee also identifies and monitors significant State court decisions which may conflict with well-established principles of federal maritime law. At the request of the MLA President, it may be called upon to provide research and legal analysis to assist the Board in considering requests for amicus curiae participation by the MLA. The Committee offers CLE credit for attendance at its meetings at which members discuss recent developments in maritime law.

Chair: VINCE C. REUTER
Vice Chair: ROBERT J. BOCKO
Secretary: ALEXANDER DEGIULIO
Board Liaison: KEVIN O’DONOVAN
YLC Liaison:

The Website & Technology Committee examines existing technology, technological developments, and trends in the maritime industry. Using this knowledge, the Website & Technology Committee provides support and guidance to the Association with respect to technology that supports and fosters participation of Members in the Association.

Chair: AARON B. GREENBAUM
Vice-Chair: WILLIAM E. BELL
Secretary:  PETER F. BLACK
Board Liaison: LYNN L. KRIEGER
YLC Liaison:

Assists the MLA Standing Committees by providing valuable time and energy for Standing Committee projects. Contributions of the YLC have included research, writing, and speaking on diverse subjects pertaining to the MLA and maritime law in general. The involvement of the YLC in MLA Standing Committees has helped introduce the Young Lawyer members to the members and goals of the Association, the workings of the Standing Committees, and to prepare the Young Lawyer members for leadership roles in the Association. In many cases, YLC members have been appointed as officers of the various Standing Committees. Membership in the Young Lawyers Committee is open to lawyers under 40 and those who have been members of the Association for ten years or less. Membership on the Young Lawyers Committee shall not prevent a member from serving on three additional Standing Committees.

Chair: KRISTI H. THOMPSON
Vice-Chair: KENDERICK M. JORDAN
Secretary: CAROLINE WILSON
Board Liaison: GRADY HURLEY
YLC Liaison: JESSIE SHIFALO