Legal Beat: Rule B Alter-Ego Vessel Seizures
Plaintiffs seeking to recover from ship managers or the vessels they operate but lacking a direct claim against a particular vessel have developed a clever strategy under U.S. maritime law. They seize a managed vessel under Supplemental Admiralty Rule B and claim the vessel-owning company is an alter ego of the defendant with whom the dispute really exists. In this way, plaintiffs can take advantage of the relatively low evidentiary bar to delve into protracted discovery to develop…
Houston Law Firm Joined by Eight Attorneys
The addition of all 8 attorneys from Bell, Ryniker & Letourneau 
strengthens Houston presence for largest U.S. maritime legal practice Blank Rome LLP. This group of attorneys and additional professional staff bring significant experience in maritime and energy law, in addition to the areas of insurance, transportation, government contracts and construction. Michael K. Bell, Keith B. Letourneau, and Douglas J. Shoemaker join as partners; Robert J. Ryniker, and James C. Arnold join as of counsels; and Mitchell R. Machann, Tracy Freeman, and David G. Meyer join as associates. “We are delighted to welcome Michael, Keith, Douglas and all of our new colleagues to our Houston office and to the Blank Rome team,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Co-Chairman and Managing Partner.
