future-focused

Liskow Maritime Attorney Secures Win in Rhode Island

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Liskow attorney Sam Blatchley recently secured a favorable ruling in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, which granted a motion to compel arbitration and stay proceedings on behalf of two maritime clients in a Jones Act personal injury matter.

The plaintiff argued that an arbitration agreement governing his prior work aboard the vessel was no longer in effect at the time of the incident. The Court disagreed, finding that the agreement was continuing in nature, remained in full force and effect, and applied to future vessel assignments unless terminated by written notice.

Although the Federal Arbitration Act does not apply to seamen’s employment contracts, the Court further held that the arbitration provision was valid and enforceable under Rhode Island law, rejected plaintiff’s argument that Jones Act claims cannot be arbitrated, and held that the plaintiff’s claims for unseaworthiness, Jones Act negligence, and maintenance and cure fell squarely within its scope. The matter is stayed pending arbitration, where plaintiff’s claims will be decided by a maritime arbitrator rather than a jury.

Liskow Welcomes Five New Associates Across Three Offices

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Liskow is pleased to announce the addition of five associates to the firm.

Jada Allen is in the firm’s Energy practice group in the Lafayette office. She earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law and a Graduate Certificate in Energy Law and Policy from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 2026. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature, summa cum laude, from LSU. While in law school, Jada served as Vice President of the Energy and Environmental Law Society and as a legal extern for the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources, where she researched and drafted memoranda on geologic carbon sequestration and emerging carbon capture solutions.

Chris Caldarera is in the firm’s Energy practice group in the New Orleans office. He earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2026, where he was recognized as a William L. Crowe, Sr. Scholar. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in finance, with a minor in construction management, from Louisiana State University. While in law school, Chris served as Articles Editor for the Loyola Law Review and as a judicial intern with the Honorable Jay C. Zainey of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Before law school, he worked as a financial advisor at a major financial services firm.

Kaleb Delatte is in the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice group in the New Orleans office. He earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 2025, where he served as Articles Editor for the Louisiana Law Review. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Management in Legal Studies in Business from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business. Prior to joining Liskow, Kaleb served as a law clerk to the Honorable David C. Joseph of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana and as a judicial extern to the Honorable Shelly D. Dick of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.

Katherine S. Fraser is in the firm’s Energy practice group in the Houston office. She earned her Juris Doctor from Tulane University Law School in 2026, where she served as Head Coach for the John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Team. She also served as an intern with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and in the general counsel’s office of a global asset management firm. Prior to law school, Katherine earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and Spanish, with a concentration in Management and Leadership, cum laude, from Boston College.

Abby Strohmeyer is in the firm’s Business Transactions practice group in the New Orleans office. Her practice includes estate planning, real estate, banking, and finance matters. Abby earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2026, where she was recognized as a William L. Crowe, Sr. Scholar. While in law school, she served as a Staff Member of the Moot Court Program and a member of the Loyola Law Review. Abby also earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, with a minor in Entrepreneurship, from Louisiana State University.

Liskow Expands Maritime Practice, Adds Fisheries Capabilities and Team in New England

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Liskow is proud to announce the firm’s expansion into New England and the growth of our maritime practice with the addition of three attorneys: Samuel P. Blatchley, Patrick J. O’Connor, and Michael J. Pluhowski. The addition brings an established fisheries litigation and maritime regulatory practice to Liskow and adds a new office in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the nation’s highest-grossing commercial fishing port for 23 consecutive years, according to NOAA Fisheries.

“Liskow has long had a strong presence in the maritime industry, and our expansion into New England and the addition of fisheries capabilities are natural extensions of that strength,” said Ray Waid, leader of the firm’s Maritime Industry Group. “Sam, Patrick, and Michael add real depth to our team and make us better able to serve maritime clients across the country.”

The New Bedford office gives Liskow a base in New England and, together with the firm’s New York office, extends its maritime and casualty response coverage along the Northeast coast. The addition also strengthens the firm’s practice in the New York area, where two of the three new attorneys are licensed. O’Connor and Pluhowski both have Merchant Mariner Credentials, experience that reinforces the firm’s practical approach to maritime matters.

“I’ve known members of Liskow’s maritime team for more than 20 years and have watched the group grow,” said Blatchley. “These are lawyers I’ve long respected. The fishermen, vessel owners, insurers, and maritime businesses we represent need a team that can respond quickly wherever they operate. Liskow’s deeper bench gives us what we need to serve them well, whether the work is in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, or anywhere else in the world.”

Maritime casualty response is central to Liskow’s Maritime Practice Group, one of the largest in the country. The group’s casualty lawyers are on call 24 hours a day, work alongside the emergency response teams of national and international clients, and have handled claims arising from major incidents, including the DEEPWATER HORIZON, the GOLDEN RAY capsizing, and the SEACOR POWER sinking. Most recently, the firm served as lead maritime counsel for the State of Maryland in its claim arising from the M/V DALI’s allision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The claim resolved in the largest single maritime property damage settlement in U.S. history. The group also handles maritime transactions ranging from operational contracts to vessel and fleet acquisitions. Several of its attorneys worked in the maritime industry before becoming lawyers, and that experience shapes how they respond when an incident occurs.

“Liskow has always grown by following our clients’ needs, and this expansion is another example of that,” said Managing Shareholder Mark Latham. “We are in a period of strategic growth, and the maritime industry is a key focus of that effort.”

Michael Golemi, leader of the Maritime Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Strategic Planning Committee, echoed that point. “We have never grown simply for the sake of getting bigger,” said Golemi. “Our clients and our lawyers value the advantages of a midsize firm, and our goal is to preserve those strengths while we continue to add the depth, breadth, and capabilities clients need.”

About the Team

Samuel P. Blatchley focuses his practice on admiralty and maritime law, insurance, fisheries, and environmental law. He handles maritime collisions and casualties, personal injury and death claims, charter party and marine services disputes, vessel arrests and attachments, and insurance coverage disputes, and he advises on vessel financing, purchases, charters, documentation, and registration. His clients include vessel owners and operators, charterers, stevedores, terminal operators, construction and dredging firms, bunker suppliers, freight forwarders, inland carriers, lenders, marina operators, marine surveyors, and marine trades providers. He also serves as outside general counsel to a marine insurer covering Hull & Machinery and Protection & Indemnity risks. His fisheries practice spans all commercial fisheries. He represents fishermen, fishing associations, and vessel owners in fisheries disputes and in claims under the Administrative Procedure Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. That work includes representing the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association in Maine Lobstermen’s Association v. National Marine Fisheries Service, in which the D.C. Circuit held in 2023 that the agency may not rely on worst-case assumptions when assessing a fishery’s effects on an endangered species. He is a Proctor in Admiralty of the Maritime Law Association of the United States, where he has chaired the Practice and Procedure Committee and served on the Board of Directors, and he served on the subcommittee that drafted the District of Rhode Island’s Local Admiralty Rules. He received his J.D. and Maritime Law Certificate from Tulane University Law School. Sam is licensed in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and New York.

Patrick J. O’Connor focuses on maritime and admiralty law, insurance, contracts, and litigation. He also advises clients on the evolving regulatory framework governing autonomous and remotely operated vessels. He counsels vessel owners, operators, builders, and other maritime stakeholders on U.S. Coast Guard requirements and developing international standards, including the IMO’s Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) framework; state vessel registration and certification; federal vessel documentation and flagging; manning requirements; and the application of the COLREGS to autonomous and remotely operated vessels. A graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College (SUNY Maritime), he worked on deck and in the wheelhouse aboard tugboats on the Intracoastal Waterway, the Upper and Lower Mississippi River, and the Ohio River, and he holds a U.S. Coast Guard third mate’s license. He received his J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law, where he was president of the student Maritime Law Association and a two-year member of the Admiralty Moot Court team. He is a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States and a longstanding member of the New York and New England maritime bar. Patrick is licensed in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

Michael J. Pluhowski combines a maritime litigation practice with an active seagoing and military career. A U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate, he sailed with Kirby Inland Marine and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under his third mate’s license before attending law school. He earned his J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law. He teaches shiphandling and navigation at the U.S. Navy’s Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, Rhode Island, and serves as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Michael is licensed in Massachusetts and Maine.

Zachary Berryman Named Co-Chair of the Louisiana State Bar Association 2026–2027 LGBT Subcommittee

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Liskow is proud to announce that attorney Zachary Berryman was recently appointed Co-Chair of the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) LGBT Subcommittee for 2026-2027. In this role, Zac will support the subcommittee’s mission to educate and support Louisiana’s legal community on issues affecting LGBT individuals, promote collaboration, encourage nondiscrimination policies, and support LGBT individuals pursuing careers in law.

In addition to his leadership role, Zac is a member of the LSBA’s Diversity Committee, where he helps the organization identify and remove barriers to diversity and promote greater representation and participation across Louisiana’s legal profession. For more information, visit the LSBA’s website here.

Ray Waid Featured in Bloomberg Law Article on Nuclear-Powered Merchant Ships

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Liskow attorney Ray Waid was recently featured in Bloomberg Law’s article, “Trump’s Push for Nuclear Ships Waits as Industry Seeks Details,” which examines the regulatory challenges surrounding efforts to develop nuclear-powered merchant ships in the United States.

The article explores the roles of the U.S. Maritime Administration, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and U.S. Coast Guard in developing a regulatory framework for nuclear-powered vessels, as well as questions surrounding licensing, vessel safety, crew credentialing and the division of authority among federal agencies.

Ray, who leads Liskow’s Maritime Industry Group, discussed the current regulatory landscape, noting that the standards needed to support nuclear propulsion ships are not yet in place. He also addressed the challenges facing companies as they await further guidance on how nuclear-powered vessels will be regulated.

Read the full article to learn more about the regulatory considerations shaping the development of nuclear-powered merchant ships here.

Liskow Secures Dismissal of Products Liability Claims Against Medical Device Manufacturer

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On August 18, 2026, in a products liability action brought against medical device manufacturer Zoll Medical Corporation (“Zoll”), the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana granted Zoll’s Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ first amended complaint with prejudice. The plaintiffs asserted four claims under the Louisiana Products Liability Act (“LPLA”) arising from alleged inappropriate discharges from a Zoll LifeVest wearable cardioverter defibrillator.

The Court held that the plaintiffs’ LPLA claims were preempted by federal law because the LifeVest is a Class III medical device that underwent the FDA’s rigorous Premarket Approval (“PMA”) process. The Court explained that, while state-law claims may survive preemption if they parallel federal requirements, plaintiffs must identify the specific federal requirement allegedly violated and plead the state-law claim with sufficient particularity.

Applying that standard, the Court found that the plaintiffs failed to plausibly plead a parallel manufacturing defect claim because they did not identify any FDA design or manufacturing requirements applicable to the LifeVest or explain how Zoll’s manufacturing process deviated from those requirements. The Court similarly dismissed the plaintiffs’ design defect claim, finding that their challenge to the FDA-approved design was expressly preempted.

The Court also dismissed the plaintiffs’ inadequate warning claim, finding that they failed to allege any violation of an FDA-approved warning or instruction or otherwise identify a corresponding federal requirement. Finally, the Court dismissed the express warranty claim because the plaintiffs failed to identify any specific express warranty, when or where it was made, or how it induced use of the LifeVest. The Court further rejected the plaintiffs’ reliance on discovery to establish the substance of the alleged warranties, finding that their vague and conclusory allegations did not provide a sufficient factual basis to warrant discovery.

Because the plaintiffs had already amended their complaint once and had not requested further leave to amend, the Court dismissed all four LPLA claims with prejudice. The Court also dismissed a derivative loss of consortium claim asserted by Mark Pellegrin.

Liskow attorney Michael Mims represented Zoll in the matter. A copy of the Court’s decision can be found here.

Liskow’s Lance Bullock Featured in New Orleans CityBusiness’ Ports & Transportation Issue

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Liskow attorney Lance Bullock was recently featured in New Orleans CityBusiness’ Ports & Transportation Issue with his article, “Jones Act Waiver Sparks Maritime Industry Concerns.” The article examines the Trump administration’s temporary waiver of the Jones Act, which allows foreign-flagged vessels to transport certain energy commodities between U.S. ports amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and spikes in oil and natural gas prices.

In the article, Lance explains the purpose of the Jones Act and its role in protecting the domestic maritime industry and maintaining a merchant marine capable of supporting national defense interests. He discusses the short-term benefits of the waiver, including increased flexibility in energy transportation, reduced freight costs and potential relief for refinery supply chains, while also examining concerns that repeated waivers could weaken the Act and encourage efforts to permanently reform or reduce cabotage protections. Lance also addresses the potential impact on U.S. vessel operators, shipyards and maritime labor, as well as related contract and insurance considerations.

The article concludes by examining the tension between the Jones Act’s role in supporting U.S. maritime sovereignty and the challenges of maintaining stability in a globalized and crisis-prone energy market. Lance highlights the national security implications of increased reliance on foreign shipping and considers whether the temporary suspension will remain an isolated measure or signal broader reform of the Jones Act.

Read the full article here.

Ray Waid Discusses Prize Law and Iranian Oil Tanker Seizures with Fortune

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Liskow maritime attorney Ray Waid was recently interviewed by Fortune regarding the Trump administration’s efforts to explore the use of centuries-old prize law in connection with the potential seizure and sale of Iranian oil tankers and their cargo.

The article, “DOJ is turning to an ancient body of law to capture Iranian oil tankers. It’s been so long since the U.S. used it, ‘we’d have to conduct a séance,’” examines how prize law could provide the U.S. military with a legal framework for capturing enemy vessels during armed conflict. The article also explores the historical origins of prize law and the legal questions and challenges that could arise if the administration seeks to apply the framework in the current context.

Ray discussed the potential financial considerations associated with the approach, telling Fortune: “There’s definitely a financial interest in being able to sell the oil and being able to sell the vessel and then just put that money into the coffers of the United States, which is another thing that this administration has shown is a priority.”

Drawing on his experience as a naval officer and maritime lawyer, Ray also discussed potential questions surrounding congressional involvement. Because Congress has not declared war against Iran, he noted that pursuing this approach could raise legal questions and “could also push Congress into getting more involved in a dispute it has largely avoided so far.”

Read the full article here.

Robbie Mashburn Discusses 401(k) Investment Rules in The Wall Street Journal

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In an article published by The Wall Street Journal,  Liskow attorney Robbie Mashburn examines the tension between two Labor Department rulemakings governing 401(k) plan investment offerings.

The Labor Department is expected to propose repealing rules that allowed plan administrators to weigh environmental, social, and corporate governance factors, likely requiring sponsors to focus solely on financial, or “pecuniary,” considerations. At the same time, a separate Labor Department proposal aims to expand 401(k) plans’ access to private-market investments, an objective that could be complicated by a strict ESG-exclusion rule, given that many private strategies pursue both financial returns and social or environmental goals.

Robbie, who focuses on employee benefits and compensation, explains how ERISA’s duty of loyalty frames the analysis, noting that plan sponsors must be careful not to do anything that may not be beneficial to their plan participants on a financial basis. He also offers a measured prediction on where the rulemaking may land: rather than prohibiting ESG-type assets outright, the DOL may be more likely to require that sponsors demonstrate they are looking after the financial interests of the participants.

To read the full article, click here.

Melanie Derefinko Recognized by New Orleans CityBusiness

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Shareholder Melanie Derefinko has been named to the 2026 Women of the Year Class by New Orleans CityBusiness. Each year, the publication honors women in the region whose professional achievements and community contributions make a lasting impact.

As a key member of Liskow’s complex commercial litigation team, Melanie focuses her practice on intellectual property disputes, business contract disagreements, and employment matters. Beyond her legal practice, she is heavily involved in the legal community, notably serving as the 2026–2027 treasurer, board member, and communications subcommittee chair for the Federal Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, as well as an active member of the Association for Women Attorneys.

New Orleans CityBusiness will feature Melanie in its November 15 issue and celebrate the honorees at an event on November 3 at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

View the complete list of honorees here.