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    • America’s Marine Highway
      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. CO-CHAIR: DAVID FARRELL CO-CHAIR: C. KENT ROBERTS
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    • Arbitration and ADR
      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.   Chair: LEO G. KAILAS ESQ Vice-Chair: PETER SKOUFALOS
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    • 6 years, 4 months ago

      JAMES D. JONES

    • Carriage of Goods
      Studies court decisions and regimes of law covering the allocation of risks in transporting cargo by sea, including, e.g., the Hague Rules and 1968 Visby Amendments drafted by the Comité Maritime International, the 1978 Hamburg Rules Convention, and a proposed international convention covering multimodal transport; drafted a proposed act to reform COGSA approved by the Association; tracks developments in all subjects related to transport, including bills of lading, letters of indemnity, and e-commerce; has Subcommittees on Cargo Liability and Shipping Documents; publishes a newsletter on current developments. Chair: SUSAN DORGAN Vice Chair: MICHAEL CROWLEY
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    • Continuing Legal Education
      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: CAROLYN ELIZABETH BUNDY ESQ Vice-Chair: LILI FAY BENEDA ESQ
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    • 3 years, 12 months ago

      HENRY P. GONZALEZ

    • Cruise Lines and Passenger Ships
      Provides a forum for those involved in any aspect of this industry; reviews problems and developments arising from cruise and passenger ship operations and monitors governmental regulations affecting the industry. Chair: CAROL FINKLEHOFFE ESQ Vice-Chair: SUZANNE VAZQUEZ ESQ
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    • Fisheries
      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: MARK T. COBERLY ESQ Vice-Chair: TERENCE G. KENNEALLY ESQ
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    • 8 years ago

      MARK T. COBERLY

    • Inland Waters and Towing
      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: BRIAN BUCKLEY MCALLISTER ESQ Vice-Chair: C. KENT ROBERTS ESQ.
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    • International Organizations, Conventions, and Standards
      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: PHILLIP A. BUHLER ESQ. Vice Chair: VINCENT J FOLEY ESQ
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    • Marine Ecology and Maritime Criminal Law
      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: KATHARINE F. NEWMAN ESQ Vice-Chair: GREGORY F. LINSIN ESQ
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    • Marine Financing
      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: MARJORIE F. KRUMHOLZ ESQ. Vice-Chair: STEPHEN B. JOHNSON
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    • 8 years ago

      FRANCIS X. NOLAN III

    • Marine Insurance and General Average
      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: ANDREW WILSON, ESQ. Vice Chair: ANDREW D. KEHAGIARAS ESQ
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    • 5 years, 10 months ago

      JONATHAN S. SPENCER

    • Marine Torts and Casualties
      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: CHARLES G. DELEO ESQ. Vice Chair: PAUL T. HOFMANN ESQ
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    • Maritime Bankruptcy and Insolvency
      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: JOHN E. BRADLEY ESQ Vice Chair: LAWRENCE RUTKOWSKI ESQ.
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    • Offshore Industries
      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: DAVID R. WALKER ESQ. Vice Chair: SALVADOR J. PUSATERI
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    • Our Oceans
      New committee, description coming soon
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    • Piracy
      Chair: H. ALLEN BLACK
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    • Practice and Procedure
      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: EDWARD J. POWERS ESQ Vice Chair: R. MICHAEL UNDERHILL ESQ
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    • Recreational Boating
      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: LARS FORSBERG ESQ Vice Chair: MARK J. BUHLER
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    • 3 years, 10 months ago

      TODD D. LOCHNER

    • Regulation of Vessel Operations, Safety, Security, and Navigation
      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; has Subcommittees on Security and Legislation. Chair: LAWRENCE I. KIERN Vice-Chair: DAVID H. SUMP ESQ Secretary: DAVID H. SUMP ESQ
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    • Salvage
      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: JASON R. HARRIS ESQ
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    • Uniformity of US Maritime Law
      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: KEVIN G. O'DONOVAN Vice Chair: JOANNE ZAWITOSKI ESQ. Secretary: JARED A. WASHKOWITZ ESQ Board Representative: CHARLES B. ANDERSON ESQ MLA President: ROBERT B. PARRISH ESQ MLA First Vice-President: ROBERT G. CLYNE YLC Liaison: MICHAEL J. DALY ESQ
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