After a Coast Guard career and more than twenty years on the bench, I returned to the areas of law I admire most - maritime and international – as an Arbitrator and Mediator.Uniquely qualified to arbitrate or mediate maritime, international and complex/technical disputes. Extensive experience in litigation, international negotiation, teaching and the judiciary; coupled with sea-going, marine inspection/investigation and combat experience and a basic engineering and advanced international law degree. Litigated or presided over civil and criminal cases, both adversarial and inquisitorial, ranging from, litigating at the time, the largest oil spill in United States history tohearing thousands of disability cases, as a federal judge. As a Law of the Sea advisor at the United States Mission to the United Nations, was part of the delegation that negotiated the first United Nations high seas drift-net fishing ban.Excelled academically from president of my high school National Honor Society to an “out-standing academic record” pursuing an LLM in international law at New York University. Mentored at NYU by Nick Healy, the preeminent maritime lawyer. Taught “Governmental Regulation of Shipping and Commerce” in the graduate maritime law program at Tulane University. Selected to lead the Coast Guard JAG school and as Chief Trial Judge. While serving as a Social Security judge, requested by Congress to testify on reforming the disability system. Testimony led to a front page photograph and article in the Washington Post, concerning the disability case backlog, the largest backlog in the Government (presently over one million cases). Lawyers would often ask me about becoming a judge. My initial response was always the same: “If you like people, being on the bench is the best part of the job.” The same could be said for Arbitration and Mediation.I like people. I have helped thousands of people resolve disputes. I hope to help you.
Listed skills include Civil Litigation, Administrative Law, Appeals, Legal Writing, and 24 others.
