Galland Kharasch has been one of the leading maritime firms in the country since 1955. We have participated in virtually every major legal issue affecting the maritime industry in the United States. Our participation has come in every form, including litigating several cases to the U.S. Supreme Court, launching major legislative initiatives before Congress, and participating in the vast majority of the most important regulatory proceedings conducted at the agencies involved with maritime matters since the firm's founding.

Galland Kharasch lawyers have helped shape the industry as it stands today. For example, we crafted the legal framework for the first major consortium of ocean carriers, were among the first to test the statutory right to recover damages for violating U.S. shipping laws, and developed the legal formulation for the non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC).

Galland Kharasch attorneys practicing maritime law have represented nearly every type of business in the industry. Among our current clients are vessel operating ocean carriers, NVOCCs, shippers, shippers' associations, ports, freight forwarders and custom house brokers. Serving this wide range of clients gives us insight and understanding of all aspects of the maritime business and, in our view, is a core strength of our practice.

Our maritime activities can be divided into four areas: regulatory, commercial, litigation and legislative. In the regulatory field, we practice before the Federal Maritime Commission, the U.S. Maritime Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Customs Service and other agencies concerning virtually every law these agencies are required to administer. Our maritime attorneys routinely provide regulatory compliance counseling and advice, and participate in administrative litigation, defense of enforcement proceedings, rulemakings, agreement filings and antitrust advice, customs and export control, and licensing and bonding applications.

In the commercial area, we negotiate and draft service contracts, conference and consortium agreements, joint service arrangements, space charters, joint ventures, bills of lading and freight contracts. We also plan and prepare intermodal arrangements, and draft and negotiate charters, marine terminal leases, organic documents for shippers' associations and other industry groups and various types of operating agreements. In conjunction with our commercial lawyers, we handle all aspects of the purchase, sale and financing of vessels and shipping companies and assist in a variety of other ways for clients involved in the liner and non-liner shipping industries.

In addition to representing maritime clients in administrative proceedings and commercial arbitration, lawyers in the group routinely engage in litigation before federal and state courts throughout the country. The issues involved include commercial and service contracts, freight collection, cargo detention, claims and damages, as well as various regulatory matters. We have conducted antitrust defense work on behalf of ocean carriers and handled numerous appeals of agency decisions in the Federal circuit courts.

We also represent clients before the U.S. Congress and those House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over legislation affecting maritime enterprises. Our broad experience in all transportation modes enhances our ability to represent clients on legislation that requires the approval of several committees, as well as the support of Executive Branch agencies not normally involved in the maritime area.

Our clients appreciate the industry experience our maritime attorneys offer. The industry's structure and its unique history and current standing are known to the firm's maritime lawyers. This facilitates our understanding of the client's concerns, improves the efficiency with which problems are handled and offers the advantage of seasoned insight into each client's problem.