The BRoader Impact: Leading with Purpose at Blank Rome
We are proud to share The BRoader Impact, a new annual report highlighting the many ways our firm is making significant strides in support of our colleagues, clients, and communities. Leading with purpose, we combine our knowledge and capabilities with our passions by providing pro bono services, volunteering our time and resources, furthering diversity and inclusion initiatives, prioritizing well-being, and elevating sustainable practices. We are proud of the meaningful work that our colleagues are carrying out in our communities every day. Click here to read it.
The BR Privacy & Security Download
We invite you to read our November 2024 edition of The BR Privacy & Security Download, the monthly digital newsletter of Blank Rome’s Privacy, Security & Data Protection practice, which covers current trends and updates in the areas of state, local, and federal laws and regulations, U.S. litigation and enforcement, and international laws and regulations, as well as the group’s recent events and webinars, media activity, and news. To view the latest edition of The BR Privacy & Security Download, please click here.
The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight
Welcome to the October 2024 edition of The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight, our monthly newsletter from Blank Rome’s State + Local Tax team that highlights important State + Local Tax developments across numerous jurisdictions and provides updates on significant legislative developments and judicial decisions that could impact business operations. Please click here to read The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight
What an amazing news cycle for shipping during the past two years, starting with the March 2021 EVER GIVEN grounding in the Suez Canal and running through the ongoing disruptions in shipping resulting from the Houthi attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea. Add in sanctions, the dark fleet, cruise ship mishaps…well you get the picture. The point is the general public certainly has—or should have—become more aware of the impact global international shipping has on their daily lives.
But is that really the story of today’s global shipping industry? In the short term, yes, but in the long term, no. The story of today’s global shipping industry is what the maritime industry is presently doing that goes unnoticed by the public but will certainly shape the maritime industry in the future. For the foreseeable future, fossil fuels will continue to be the primary source of vessel propulsion. Nevertheless, significant investment of money and human capital is being made on issues involving the use of alternative fuels and the design of future vessels, sustainability, carbon reduction, wind as a vessel propulsion source, and offshore wind as a viable alternative source of energy (at least for the United States). And, although not every alternative fuel currently being considered for vessel propulsion will become a cost-effective and efficient workable solution, and while the full-scale installation of offshore wind along the U.S. East Coast may still be a few years away, the maritime industry has proven it is open to investing in solutions leading to “clean propulsion” and “clean energy.” Consequently—being the eternal optimist—finding an alternative fuel that is a cost-effective and efficient source of vessel propulsion is not a matter of “if” but a matter of “when.”
My commute into New York City is by fast ferry, which allows me the pleasure of watching all sorts of vessels arrive and depart New York Harbor: cruise ships, container vessels, tankers, bulkers, tugs, research vessels, and, of course, the occasional yacht. Watching a large cruise ship or container vessel passing underneath the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a spectacular sight. And, of course, seeing any type of vessel pass near the Statute of Liberty is nostalgic. A picture is a must; one cannot have too many of those types of photos, in my opinion. My fellow passengers give me a sideways glance every time I get up to head out on deck to take a photo of a vessel passing by us. I take pictures because I love the maritime industry, but I was recently reminded how difficult life is working at sea.
This past Labor Day weekend, while enjoying time at the beach, a friend asked whether the crew aboard a tanker that had been anchored off Sandy Hook, NJ, for a few days were able to get off to visit New York City. I replied, “Generally, no.” The group I was with were shocked. After explaining why crew were not permitted off the vessel, I then explained that the average unlicensed crew member’s tour can be from 4 to 10 months long, with no weekends or holidays; possibly no choice of who to room with; no choice of what to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner; often unable to speak with a loved one at home for several days or weeks. Add to that the potential for inhospitable weather while at sea. We all agreed that put into perspective the debate about whether one should be in the office two or three days a week.
In closing, please consider supporting an organization that cares for seaman and their mental health.
Our firm was named “Law Firm of the Year” in Admiralty & Maritime Law in the 2023 “Best Law Firms” survey by U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers®. Only one law firm per legal practice area received the “Best Law Firm” recognition.
Our Maritime practice group was also ranked Tier 1 nationally and ranked Tier 1 regionally in Houston, New York City, and Washington, D.C., in Admiralty & Maritime Law.
To view Blank Rome’s full rankings, please click here.
Welcome to the 2022–2023 edition of Perspectives, Blank Rome’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) magazine.
In this edition, you will find:
Interviews with our Diversity & Inclusion Committee co-chairs and new laterals;
A profile of our Chief Operating Officer Shonette Gaston;
Recaps of our inaugural DEI Summit and our sixth annual Women’s Leadership Summit;
Updates on our recruitment, mentorship and sponsorship, and client partnership programs;
Accolades and events from the past year; and more!
We would be delighted to hear from you. If you have any comments or suggestions, or if you would like to partner with our firm on future DEI initiatives and programs, please contact Director of Diversity & Inclusion Krystal Studavent Ramsey.
Read Perspectives
To read the 2022–2023 edition of Blank Rome’s Perspectives, please click here.
Welcome to the October 2023 edition of The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight. We know the importance of remaining up to date on State + Local Tax developments, which appear often and across numerous jurisdictions. Staying informed on significant legislative developments and judicial decisions helps tax departments function more efficiently, along with improving strategy as well as planning. That is where The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight can help. In each edition, we will highlight important State + Local Tax developments that could impact your business.
We invite you to share The BR State + Local Tax Spotlight with your colleagues and visit Blank Rome’s State + Local Tax webpage for more information about our team. Click here to add State + Local Tax to your subscription preferences.
This is my first publication as editor of Mainbrace. Truth be told, when I was asked to be editor, I thought it was a joke, laughed and asked “seriously?” In short, I was concerned I was not up to the task. Well, “why” you may ask, “seems like a simple and ordinary note for a law firm to pump out.” Not so my friends, not so.
It is important to note that Mainbrace is not merely another “publication” generated by a law firm’s marketing team. Mainbrace is much more. Mainbrace has a long history of providing the maritime legal and business community with articles that are relevant to the then present-day industry concerns. It is a collaboration among skilled and talented lawyers who somehow find the time to author enlightening articles. Is Mainbrace the “Gray Lady”? No, but she is our lady and we hold her dearly.
Believe it or not, Mainbrace has been in publication since 1990! In fact, the first publication—Vol. 1 No. I—was issued in March 1990 by the law firm of Healy & Baillie, which joined Blank Rome in 2006. “How did it last so long?” you ask. Simply put, the sustainability of Mainbrace is directly related to the efforts of Tom Belknap, who spearheaded the publication of Mainbrace for nearly 15 years. And should any of our readers desire to read ANY issue of Mainbrace since its first publication in March 1990, Tom can supply you with a copy—all of which are safely tucked away in a binder in his office.
To Tom Belknap, our partner and friend: Bravo Zulu, Bravo Zulu!
I do not take lightly taking over the conn of Mainbrace from Tom and having to safely navigate her publication in the future. Admittedly, I won’t do so alone, for I am surrounded by a crew of brilliant legal minds who will supply me with articles to publish. And to them, I am grateful.
Lastly, to our readers, we take pride in every issue of Mainbrace we publish and will continue to author and publish meaningful and informative articles that meet your expectations.
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that our firm has been named “Law Firm of the Year” in Admiralty & Maritime Law in the 2023 “Best Law Firms” survey by U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers.® Only one law firm per legal practice area received the “Best Law Firm” recognition.
Along with this recognition, our Maritime practice group was also ranked Tier 1 nationally and ranked Tier 1 regionally in Houston, New York City, and Washington, D.C., in Admiralty & Maritime Law. The rankings are based on a combination of “client feedback, information provided on the Law Firm Survey, the Law Firm Leaders Survey, and Best Lawyers peer review.”
Blank Rome was nationally ranked in 27 practice areas and regionally ranked in 83 practice areas in the 2023 “Best Law Firms” survey by U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers.®
To view Blank Rome’s full rankings, please click here.
Chambers Global 2023 recognized partners Anthony B. Haller, Mark R. Haskell, John D. Kimball, and Brett A. Snyder for their industry knowledge and leading practices, as well as Blank Rome LLP as a global leader in Shipping: Litigation and a USA leader in Bankruptcy/Restructuring and Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation).
Anthony B. Haller “has a leading contentious practice and regularly guides clients through race, age, harassment and wrongful discharge claims. He is also much sought after for advice on and representation in labor relations matters.” A source notes, “Anthony is brilliant and deeply committed to the practice of law and bringing the value of his expertise to his clients.”
At Blank Rome, Anthony is a partner in the firm’s Labor and Employment group, which is nationally recognized in leading industry publications, such as U.S. News & World Report–Best Lawyers and Chambers USA. Anthony concentrates his practice on all aspects of labor and employment law, including preventative counseling, complex litigation, trial, and appellate work, and notably leads the firm’s Trade Secret Protection, Employee Defection, and Unfair Competition group. In recognition of his leading employment practice, Anthony was named one of The Legal Intelligencer’s Pennsylvania Trailblazers (2020), The National Law Journal’sEmployment Law Trailblazers (2020), the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Influencers of Law: Employment Litigation (2019), and Lexology’sClient Choice Award Winner (2021). He has also twice received Finance Monthly’sTrade Secrets Lawyer of the Year Award, and is consistently ranked as a global leader in employment law by Chambers USA, Super Lawyers, and Benchmark Litigation.
Mark R. Haskell – Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) — USA
Mark R. Haskell “is deeply experienced in representing clients seeking FERC and DOE authorization for LNG project development and expansion. He also skillfully acts for pipeline owners and shippers in market manipulation disputes and rate cases.” A source says he is “outstanding, extremely thoughtful and strategic.” Another notes: “He is a great litigator.“
At Blank Rome, Mark is a partner in the firm’s Energy group, which is nationally recognized in leading industry publications, such as U.S. News & World Report–Best Lawyers, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500. Mark advises his clients on matters related to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including investigations, litigation, and related court appeals, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigations affecting the energy industry. He also represents natural gas and power marketers, local distribution companies, end-users, producers, industrial consumers, and liquefied natural gas and shale gas developers in energy regulatory matters. In recognition of his leading energy practice, Mark was named the exclusive winner of the Lexology 2022 Client Choice Awardfor Energy & Natural Resources USA (2022), a Lawyer of the Year for Natural Resources Law by Best Lawyers (2021), and is consistently ranked as a global leader in energy by Chambers USA, Super Lawyers, The Legal 500, Expert Guides, and Who’s Who Legal.
John D. Kimball “is well versed in handling shipping litigation. He also handles arbitration.”
At Blank Rome, John is a partner in the firm’s Maritime group, which is nationally recognized in leading industry publications, such as U.S. News & World Report–Best Lawyers, Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and Lloyd’s List. John concentrates his practice in the areas of admiralty and maritime law and commercial litigation, and has more than 30 years’ experience both domestically and internationally and counsels clients regarding maritime matters. John is also an adjunct professor at New York University Law School where he teaches the course in admiralty law, and is a prolific writer and speaker both domestically and internationally on legal issues facing the maritime industry. In recognition of his leading maritime practice, John is consistently ranked as a global leader in maritime by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, Super Lawyers, The Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal, and Expert Guides.
Brett A. Snyder – Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) — USA
Brett A. Snyder is noted for his experience handling rate cases and cost allocation proceedings on behalf of pipeline companies.
At Blank Rome, Brett is a partner in the firm’s Energy group, which is nationally recognized in leading industry publications including U.S. News & World Report–Best Lawyers, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500. Brett focuses on the regulation of the natural gas, oil, and electric industries, manages certification proceedings, and advises clients regarding certification of new natural gas infrastructure projects. He represents clients in complex administrative and rate litigation, regulatory agency investigations, and in federal courts. He counsels clients on the federal regulation of natural gas and oil/liquids transportation; sales, including the structuring of transactions; and new terminal projects. Brett is co-author of the first editions of The AGA FERC Manual: A Guide for Local Distribution Companies, a comprehensive FERC manual for natural gas distribution companies. Best Lawyers in America notes him as a leader in Energy Law.
“Blank Rome has a well-regarded shipping litigation practice, with considerable expertise in dealing with high-profile disputes, as well as maritime arbitration. It is respected both within the USA and internationally for its deep industry knowledge. The firm offers:
Notable expertise in handling a wide range of issues, including casualties, charter party disputes, bankruptcy and environmental matters.
Experience acting for a mix of owners, operators, charterers, financial institutions and shipyards.
Additional strength advising on shipping issues as they intersect with environmental litigation.”
Strengths:
A market commentator reports: “Blank Rome has very good lawyers.“
“Solid bankruptcy group with a comprehensive national footprint. Acts for a stable of clients including financial institutions and private equity funds in domestic and cross-border matters. Substantial expertise in Chapter 11 cases and bankruptcy-related litigation.”
Strengths:
A market commentator reports: “The practice has a very strong bench with great experience across multiple industries and legal matters.”
“Blank Rome LLP is a highly regarded oil and gas regulatory practice able to draw on expertise of attorneys with long-standing industry experience capable of handling a variety of regulatory work. Offers particularly strong representation in FERC and CFTC investigations and enforcement proceedings. Further noted for assisting clients in obtaining oil and gas export authorization.”
About Chambers Global
Chambers & Partners, the UK-based publisher of Chambers Global, conducts research by speaking to a vast range of lawyers and clients. Greater weighting is given to the views of the latter, and any biased viewpoints tend to cancel each other out. All interviews are conducted purely for research purposes and are entirely confidential and un-attributed. The methodology has been approved by the British Market Research Bureau, which audits the research annually. In-depth interviews with clients and lawyers are done over the telephone, each one lasting about half an hour.
Chambers research is conducted by 200 research analysts across 200 jurisdictions and provides nearly 6,000 rankings tables. Annually, Chambers collects hundreds of thousands of responses from clients, the majority via in-depth interview. Qualities on which rankings are assessed include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by the client. Editorial comment is also derived from the research, with quotations used when they sum up the prevailing opinion of the market.
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Who’s Who Legal has recognized 16 Blank Rome attorneys in their inaugural “Thought Leaders: USA 2023” rankings and 26 firm attorneys as “2022 Global Leaders” in 14 practice area categories.
Since 1996, Who’s Who Legal has identified the foremost legal practitioners in multiple areas of business law, totaling over 28,000 of the world’s leading private practice lawyers from over 160 national jurisdictions and 35 practice areas. To learn more, please visit whoswholegal.com.
