Admiralty & Maritime Law

Admiralty and maritime cases comprise a significant portion of the case load of federal courts located near U.S. ports. Clerks for judges in those courts should have an understanding of this law. In addition, lawyers who handle international transactions will likely encounter admiralty and maritime issues even if they do not specialize in that practice; the practice of admiralty and maritime law is by nature international. Admiralty and maritime practitioners work with lawyers and clients from many nations and travel often to those nations; in the process they become part of a collegial group of practitioners who know and trust each other. The course will examine admiralty jurisdiction of the federal and state courts as well as oft litigated choice of law and choice of forum issues. Our examination of the substantive areas of admiralty and maritime law—including the international and domestic multimodal carriage of goods, charter parties (contracts to use an entire ship or part of a ship), salvage, towing, pilotage, collision, stranding, general average, and personal injury—will show how they fit together and affect one another. We shall also examine ship mortgages and marine insurance and the possible effects of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea (Rotterdam Rules) a new treaty, not yet ratified by the United States. Finally, students in this course who satisfy the Stone Moot Court pre-requisite may apply for membership on the team for the national Judge John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Competition, which will be held in Charleston, South Carolina from March 26 to 28,2026 and which typically involves issues ripe for Supreme Court review. OFFERING PATTERN: This class may not be offered every year. It will be offered this year if 5 or more students register for it. Students are advised to take this fact into account when planning their long term schedule.