College Of Law News

International maritime law specialist Hill Dickinson announced the death of Patrick Hawkins, head of its office in Greece.Hawkins died in the hospital on August 20, having suffered a heart attack in early July. His funeral took place in Athens on Monday.Announcing his death, David Wareing and Tony Goldsmith, heads of Hill Dickinson’s Marine and Trade Group, said, “It is with enormous sadness that we have to inform you of the passing of our much loved colleague Patrick Hawkins.

Wabash National Corporation, a diversified industrial manufacturer and a leading producer of semi-trailers and liquid transportation systems, announced the appointment of Melanie D. Margolin as Senior Vice President and General Counsel. She will oversee all of the company’s legal affairs worldwide in areas such as corporate, commercial, regulatory, intellectual property, ethics, compliance and litigation. She brings 21 years of legal experience in a myriad of substantive areas, both domestically and globally, which will allow her to provide proactive legal advice and develop policies and initiatives that foster Wabash National’s strategic growth plans. “I am pleased to welcome Ms.

Anchoring and mooring solutions provider Vryhof has made two senior appointments: Evan Zimmerman as Vryhof’s new Vice President and Chief Technology Officer and Clément Mochet as new Commercial Director for Vryhof’s business unit, Vryhof Anchors. Based in Houston, Zimmerman has been tasked with pushing improvement within Vryhof’s technology, management systems and engineering capabilities. In particular, he will support Vryhof in strengthening its mooring equipment technologies…

Matthew Paxton is President of the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), and a partner at the law firm of Adams and Reese. SCA is the national trade association representing 41 companies that own and operate more than 120 shipyard facilities on all three U.S. coasts, the Great Lakes, inland waterways system, Alaska and Hawaii. SCA also represents 97 partner members that provide goods and services to the shipyard industry. Paxton, who has been practicing law since 2001, focuses his practice on maritime law and policy, fisheries law, natural resources development, and environmental policy issues. In addition to the SCA presidency in which…

Adams and Reese Adds Four to Bolster Federal Governmental Relations Practice. Adams and Reese is proud to announce the addition of Partner Matt Paxton and Governmental Affairs Advisors Joe Carnevale, Ian Bennitt and Ashley Godwin, who join our firm in our Washington DC Office from the law firm of Ball Janik LLP. “We are very excited about adding Matt, Joe, Ian and Ashley, to our Firm and our Federal Governmental Relations practice,” said B. Jeffrey Brooks, Adams and Reese Executive Committee Chairman and DC Office Partner in Charge.

Ingram Industries Inc. announced the promotion of Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Eleanor McDonald to Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Secretary, effective July 1. Orrin H. Ingram, President and Chief Executive Officer, commended Ms. She joined Ingram in 2006 as Assistant General Counsel, and before that was in private law practice in Nashville concentrating in mergers and acquisitions, commercial finance transactions and general corporate matters. Ms. McDonald received her juris doctor degree from Vanderbilt University Law School and earned her bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Ms. McDonald will succeed Bill Morelli, who will retire after 22 years with the company. Mr. Ingram thanked Mr.

BP pays billions in compensation but some claims still unpaid; Oil still appearing on beaches in Gulf of Mexico. Company says claims process is flawed, not all oil from spill. Four years after the Deepwater Horizon spill, oil is still washing up on the long sandy beaches of Grand Isle, Louisiana, and some islanders are fed up with hearing from BP that the crisis is over. Jules Melancon, the last remaining oyster fisherman on an island dotted with colourful houses on stilts, says he has not found a single oyster alive in his leases in the area since the leak and relies on an onshore oyster nursery to make a living. He and others in the southern U.S. state say compensation has been paid unevenly and lawyers have taken big cuts.

Four years after the Deepwater Horizon spill, oil is still washing up on the long sandy beaches of Grand Isle, Louisiana, and some islanders are fed up with hearing from BP that the crisis is over. Jules Melancon, the last remaining oyster fisherman on an island dotted with colourful houses on stilts, says he has not found a single oyster alive in his leases in the area since the leak and relies on an onshore oyster nursery to make a living. He and others in the southern U.S. state say compensation has been paid unevenly and lawyers have taken big cuts. The British oil major has paid out billions of dollars in compensation under a settlement experts say is unprecedented in its breadth. Some claimants are satisfied, but others are irate that BP is now challenging aspects of the settlement.

California’s blue economy is a +$50 billion industry. Today, marine science and the blue economy directly affect various business and government sectors such as offshore oil and gas production, national defense, seafloor exploration, communications, agriculture production, renewable energy, weather forecasting and fisheries to name a few. On April 25 at the Monterey College of Law in Seaside, Ca. Congressman Sam Farr will join more than 20 marine science and trade promotion service experts as presenters and panelists at The Monterey Bay - a Leader in the Blue Economy event as part of the Brand Monterey Bay program. This conference is designed as an introduction and brief glimpse of the world leading marine science community of the Monterey Bay region.

Roy Mease was appointed to the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority by the City of Pasadena today. Port Commissioners serve two-year terms without pay. Mease was named to the seat previously held by Steve Phelps. Phelps had served as Port Commissioner since 1997. Mease has a private law practice in Pasadena. A member of the State Bar of Texas, he received his Doctorate of Jurisprudence degree from the South Texas College of Law. Mease serves as chairman of the Pasadena Second Century Corporation, which is the city's economic development entity.

Looper Reed & McGraw is pleased to announce the addition of Julia Palmer and Carrie Weitinger as Members and Shannon Thorne and Monika Moore as Associates to its Houston office. The addition of these four attorneys has added great depth to the firm's Admiralty, Onshore and Offshore Energy and Insurance Law Practices. Julia M. (Adams) Palmer, formerly Julia M. Adams, is an active member of the admiralty and energy bar. Her practice focuses on the representation of marine and energy interests, insurers, and insurance brokers.

Corporate Attorney Kritzman Joins Firm as Shareholder. Fowler White Burnett, P.A. said that Mr. Robert Kritzman has joined the firm as a Shareholder at the Fowler White Burnett downtown Miami office working in their general practice group. Kritzman has an extensive background in corporate transactions, including financings and mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, corporate investigations, government relations and a broad range of maritime matters. Prior to joining Fowler White Burnett, Mr. Kritzman was a partner at the firm of K&L Gates LLP.

Jones Walker is pleased to announce that Glenn G. Goodier, a partner in the firm's Admiralty & Maritime practice was honored by the New Orleans Bar Association as the 2011 recipient of the Distinguished Maritime Lawyer award. The awards program was held on October 24, 2011, at the JW Marriott, New Orleans. The Honorable Joy Clement was one of those honoring Mr. Goodier at the luncheon. Mr. Goodier obtained his juris doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, and his Bachelor of Business Administration from Loyola University New Orleans.

Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Co-Chairs J. David Dykes (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement) and Captain Hung Nguyen (U.S. Coast Guard) announced that U.S. District Judge (Ret.) Wayne R. Andersen and U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Mark R. Higgins will be joining the Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Team. The addition of Judge Andersen and Capt. Higgins will increase the depth and diversity of the team, drawing on their vast expertise in managing and facilitating complex proceedings. The public hearings in this matter began on May 11, 2010, and have continued during the weeks of May 26 and July 19. The next hearings are scheduled to take place beginning on August 23, 2010, in Houston, Texas. “The addition of Judge Andersen and Capt.

According to Oh Kong-Gyun, Chairman and CEO of the Korean Register of Shipping (KR), the size of the Asian shipping and shipbuilding industries is such that they should occupy a more prominent and influential position in the international regulatory process than they currently do. Generating a louder voice for Asian shipping had been a central theme of Mr Oh’s recent IACS chairmanship and one that he is keen to continue now his tenure at IACS is complete. Oh was addressing an international forum of senior shipping people who had gathered to participate in SIMS, a Korean Register conference organised with the support of the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, the Korea Shipowners’ Association, the Korea Shipbuilders’ Association and the Korea Marine Equipment Association.

Horizon Offshore, Inc. announced the election of John T. Mills to its board of directors. John T. Mills is senior vice president and chief financial officer of Marathon Oil Corporation. Mills joined Marathon Oil Company in 1976 as a tax specialist. He became chief tax counsel in 1984. In 1986, he became director of taxes and energy for USX Corporation. He was appointed vice president of taxes for USX in 1987. In September 1998, Mr. Mills was appointed senior vice president of finance and administration at Marathon Oil Company. Prior to joining Marathon, Mr. Mills was employed by Coopers and Lybrand for three years. Mr. Mills earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Ohio University in 1969 and a law degree from Ohio State University in 1973.

trade association for the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry, elected a new Chairman, Steven P. 22 during the AWO Spring Convention. Mr. Marine, LP, based in Houston, Texas and Mr. headquartered in Coos Bay, Oregon. AWO Chairmen serve for a one year term. Mr. system, in order to enhance industry safety. Mr. of AWO members in AWO advocacy efforts. Mr. Valerius has 26 years of experience in the barge and towboat industry. largest fleet of inland tank barges and towing vessels. Hollywood Marine, Inc. and Kirby in 1999, Mr. Hollywood Marine, the last being Executive Vice President. Conservancy, and the Texas Waterways Operators. Mr. the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Accounting. Accountant and has a J.D. from South Texas College of Law. Accepting the position, Mr.

Ingram Marine Group announced the following executive leadership promotions. David Sehrt, former Vice President of Operations and Engineering for Ingram Barge Company, has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Dan Mecklenborg, previously Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Ingram Barge Company, has been named Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Legal Officer. David O’Neill, who has served as Assistant Vice President, Ingram Support Services (ISS) and Emergency Response, has been promoted to Vice President, ISS and Emergency Response. “We have a very strong leadership team, and it’s the right team to guide us through the transition period as we bring Midland Enterprises on board as an Ingram company…