The prestigious 30th Biennial Admiralty Law Institute successfully took place from March 20-22, 2024, traditionally hosted by the illustrious Tulane Law School. This year’s theme, "Sea Change: U.S. and International Developments on the Horizon," aptly reflected the forward-looking discourse and the wave of legal and regulatory changes impacting maritime law of the USA and on a global scale.
Gathering over 300 professionals including lawyers, shipping and marine insurance industry representatives, and academics from across the United States and beyond, the event served as a beacon for thought leadership and collaborative discussions on emerging trends in maritime law.
The conference opened with welcoming remarks from John Woods, President of the Admiralty Law Institute and Partner at Clyde & Co, and Sally Brown Richardson, Interim-Dean and A.D. Freeman Professor of Civil Law at Tulane Law School. Their speeches set a compelling tone for the days of in-depth legal explorations that followed.
A Diverse Spectrum of Topics on the Docket
Participants were treated to a rich array of sessions covering the most pressing issues in maritime law today, including:
A special session chaired by ALI’s President John Woods and featuring Professor Martin Davies, Director of Tulane Maritime Law Center, was dedicated to the distinguished Professor Robert Force, founder of the Tulane Maritime Law Center, its Director Emeritus, the greatest living writer and professor of maritime law in the United States, who is retiring after 55 years of dedicated service at Tulane Law School. In this session, Professor Force gave a lecture on arbitration of seamen’s personal injury claims.
A Confluence of Expertise
With speaker panels composed of leading experts, including attorneys specialising in admiralty law, distinguished academics, in-house legal counsels, representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Justice, shipping and marine insurance industries and classification societies, judiciary, state agencies and port authorities, pilot associations and other relevant stakeholders in the maritime world, the conference was nothing short of a seminal gathering for those vested in the future of maritime law.
As the 30th Biennial Admiralty Law Institute concluded, participants left equipped with new insights and perspectives, ready to navigate the evolving legal landscapes of the sea and beyond. The event underscored not only the importance of staying at the forefront of legal developments but also the value of community and collaboration in fostering a safer, more sustainable maritime future.
A full list of the conference panels and speakers is available on the official website here: https://web.cvent.com/event/4df2b2ac-c98d-4a18-82e1-105e6f243db0/summary
Associate Professor Adriana V. Padovan with Professor Martin Davies, Director of Tulane Maritime Law Center, Mrs. Jennifer Davis, Admiralty and Maritime Law Program Co-ordinator, and Assistant Professor Nasıh Sarp Ergüven, Visiting Research Scholar at Tulane Maritime Law Center from Ankara University Faculty of Law
Robert Force, Niels F. Johnsen Chair of Maritime Law, Director Emeritus of Maritime Law Cente and Martin Davies, Admiralty Law Institute Professor of Maritime Law, Director of Maritime Law Center