Maritime law is not an area of law that many lawyers are competent to practice. It is filled with unique and complex issues that touch on many different aspects of federal and state law, and requires a specific uniformity amongst the many federal courts in the United States. For instance, if a seaman is injured onboard a U.S. flagged vessel, their case may touch different aspects of maritime law such as marine insurance, charter parties, marine casualty investigations, and regulations. But this is just a small sample of the various maritime specific areas that may be affected by any one dispute. That is why it is important to not only have a maritime lawyer who specifically practices in this field, but also a lawyer who has in-depth knowledge and first-hand experience aboard vessels. In that way, your attorneys are able to physically step into the shoes of the crew and provide the best legal advice in the maritime field. These lawyers are some of the most integral members of the team at HBN. Not only do they know the complex laws surrounding maritime claims, but they also know the complexities of how a vessel operates and are able to spot legal issues that lawyers without this experience would not. At HBN, we strategically employ former mariners as attorneys to ensure our clients can navigate the treacherous waters of maritime law.