Maritime law firms specialize in the laws and regulations governing navigation, waterborne commerce, and marine resources. With operations generally located along the California coast, these firms offer services ranging from marine insurance and vessel financing to collision disputes and environmental compliance. Their clientele includes shipping companies, cruise lines, and maritime workers who require legal advice, protection, or representation in court. Given the booming digital economy and the intensity of maritime activity, particularly in California, these firms are seeing a surge in demand for their expert services. Over the next few years, the industry is poised for more growth, propelled by the increasing interconnection of global commerce.


Top 25 maritime law firms in California

1. Gibson Robb & Lindh LLP

  • Website: gibsonrobb.com
  • Headquarters: Emeryville, California, United States
  • Founded: 1997
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

Gibson Robb & Lindh LLP is a law firm specializing in Maritime, Transportation & Insurance Litigation. With a focus on delivering optimal results and minimizing legal expenses, the firm develops strategic solutions in close collaboration with clients. The attorneys have extensive experience in litigation and appellate matters, emphasizing prompt and cost-effective dispute resolution. As dedicated members of the U.S. maritime, insurance, and transportation bars, they have established a strong reputation within the industry, particularly in the London Marine Insurance Market.


2. Huey Law Offices

Huey Law Firm is a legal services company based in Mobile, Alabama that offers representation and consultation to clients worldwide in various practice areas, including maritime law.


3. Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor

  • Website: naylorlaw.com
  • Headquarters: San Pedro, California, United States
  • Founded: 1974
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

NaylorLaw.com is a law firm specializing in maritime law. It provides legal representation and compensation for maritime workers, cruise ship passengers, and victims of boating accidents.


4. James P. Aleccia

Aleccia & Mitani is a law firm specializing in defense of admiralty and maritime claims, including claims falling under Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Non-appropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act, and general civil litigation.


5. Nelson & Fraenkel, LLP

Nelson & Fraenkel is a law firm specializing in maritime and personal injury law. They assist clients in cases involving cruise ship accidents, seafarer wage claims, and more.


6. Law Offices of Lyle C. Cavin, Jr. & Associates

  • Website: sealawyer.com
  • Headquarters: Oakland, California, United States
  • Founded: 1970
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • LinkedIn

The Law Offices of Lyle C. Cavin, Jr. & Associates is a law firm that specializes in maritime law and personal injury claims. They offer legal representation and consultation for clients who have been injured while working in the maritime industry or while traveling on cruise ships.


7. Russell, Mirkovich & Morrow

  • Website: rumlaw.com
  • Headquarters: Long Beach, California, United States
  • Founded: 1989
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • LinkedIn

Russell Mirkovich &a; Morrow is a commercial and maritime law firm.


8. Swain &a; Dipolito

  • Website: swaindipolito.com
  • Headquarters: Long Beach, California, United States
  • Headcount: 1-10

Swain & Dipolito LLP is an AV-rated firm listed in Martindale Hubbell's Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers, and in Best's Directory of Insurance Professionals Recommended Insurance Attorneys. Though our offices are located in Long Beach, California, our practice extends to litigation throughout the State of California. Swain & Dipolito LLP maintains an efficient and cost-effective approach to all phases of litigation. Our rates are extremely competitive.


9. Babcock Holloway Caldwell & Stires

Babcock Holloway Caldwell and Stire is a law firm that specializes in workers' compensation, construction, maritime, aviation and healthcare law. They offer legal services to their clients and strive to achieve favorable resolutions in legal disputes.


10. Collier Walsh Nakazawa LLP

  • Website: cwn-law.com
  • Headquarters: Long Beach, California, United States
  • Founded: 2019
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • LinkedIn

Collier Walsh Nakazawa, LLP is a maritime law firm located across various locations. They offer legal services in the maritime industry.


11. Brodsky Micklow Bull & Weiss LLP

Maritime Law Firm specializing in maritime insurance law, personal injury claims, and commercial disputes.


12. Wright, L'Estrange & Ergastolo

  • Website: wlelaw.com
  • Headquarters: San Diego, California, United States
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • LinkedIn

WLE is a San Diego-based boutique business litigation firm that represents clients in complex business disputes and serves as local San Diego counsel for some of the world's largest law firms. The firm's success is built on its commitment to personalized service, professionalism, and integrity.


13. Berschler Associates, Pc

  • Website: berschler.com
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
  • Founded: 1973
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • LinkedIn

WE ACHIEVE SUCCESS FOR OUR CLIENTS AND PROMOTE AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS IN MARITIME, PERSONAL INJURY -WRONGFUL DEATH, DISCRIMINATION AND BUSINESS LAW THROUGH OUR DEEP COMMITMENT TO THEIR CAUSE, INNOVATIVE LEGAL STRATEGIES, ATTENTION TO DETAILS AND ATTENTIVE CLIENT SUPPORT.


14. the Uthoff Law Corporation

THE UTHOFF LAW CORPORATION provides one on one personal attention to your legal matters. We employ the latest state of the art legal and general technology to provide the best possible service to our clients.


15. Nowell George W

Founded in 1985, the Law Offices of George W. Nowell is a San Francisco based, Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated™ law firm serving insurance, commercial and individual client interests in all California Courts in the areas of Civil Litigation, Insurance Coverage, Insurance Defense, Insurance Subrogation, Personal Injury Defense, Mariner License Defense, Government Torts, Transportation, Maritime and Admiralty Law. The Firm is regularly included in U.S. News & World Report - Best Lawyers ""Best Law Firm"" rankings in the areas of Admiralty, Maritime and Transportation Law. We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality legal services with a clear focus on the economics of each case. We pride ourselves in creatively and efficiently pursuing resolution of claims (through trial and appeal if necessary), but with emphasis on careful investigation and development of the necessary legal arguments to determine early on whether an economically favorable and principled resolution is possible and in the best interests of our clients. We provide our clients with full information regarding alternative dispute resolution (ADR ) opportunities and procedures to meet their goals and needs. The firms' attorneys are experienced in all areas of Civil Litigation including Mediation, Arbitration, Trial and Appellate Practice in both State and Federal Courts. The firm is also experienced in representing clients in governmental administrative law proceedings. If you are interested in receiving additional information about the firm and its services, please contact one of our attorneys directly via telephone or email. General inquiries may be submitted to admin@nowelllaw.com.


16. McGuinn , Hillsman &a; Palefsky

  • Website: mhpsf.com
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
  • Headcount: 1-10

Established in 1968, and based in the historic Barbary Coast area of downtown San Francisco, McGuinn, Hillsman & Palefsky is comprised of nationally recognized trial lawyers and leaders in the fields of employment law and maritime tort law. We are, and always have been, a plaintiffs firm dedicated to representing our clients with the highest level of skill, professionalism, and ethics, and to helping shape the legal principles which provide for their recovery. We literally and figuratively cover the waterfront when it comes to workplace justice. Our nationally renowned employment practice represents individuals who have suffered wrongful termination, breach of contract, workplace discrimination, harassment or retaliation. Our equally celebrated maritime specialists represent people and families who have suffered life-changing accidents out on the waters.


17. Law Offices of Aksana

  • Website: coonelaw.com
  • Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
  • Headcount: 1-10

The Case for Uniform Recovery of Past Medical Expenses in Cruise Passenger Injury Claims under the Federal Collateral Source Rule, American Association for Justice Admiralty Law Section, Summer 2016 Princess Cruise Lines, Ltd. v. Superior Court (Wang), 179 Cal. App. 4th 36, 101 Cal. Rptr. 3d 323, 2009 Cal. App. LEXIS 1809 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2009) Richard Travis Bryant v. William Diller, 36 Fed. Appx. 641, 2002 U.S. App. 2002 WL 1316492 (9th Cir. 2002) Disclaimer: All information provided on our website and blog is for general information purposes only. Nothing on our blog, website, or associated pages/websites, or any other correspondences or communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. You should consult an attorney for any legal advice regarding your individual case. The information provided on this website and/or you contacting us via email, facsimile or telephone, is not intended to create and does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship can be formed only when an attorney-client agreement is executed by both the attorney and the client. The Law Offices of Aksana M. Coone is located in Los Angeles, California and serves personal injury clients anywhere in California, as well as cruise passenger and crewmember clients from all over the U.S. and around the world. © 2019 The Law Offices of Aksana M. Coone | All Rights Reserved | Website Design by DesignSpinners


18. The Mitchell Firm

  • Website: mtifirm.com
  • Headquarters: San Diego, California, United States
  • Headcount: 1-10

We and our partners keep up with current events to provide assistance and relief during a tragedy. Stephen Mitchell and our partners at The Mitchell Firm strive to change the laws that are in place to benefit the human experience. We listen to our client's experiences and execute change within their best interest. The Mitchell Firm has and will continue to help millions of people; just like you, nationwide. Why Choose The Mitchell Firm? ""Great leaders don't set out to be a leader. They set out to make a difference. It is never about the role - always about the goal."" Lisa Haisha.


19. Birnberg & Associates

Birnberg & Associates is a company based out of San Francisco, CA, United States.


20. Findlawyersonline

Findlawyersonline is a company that operates in the Legal Services industry. It employs 1-5 people and has $0M-$1M of revenue. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.


21. Harrington Foxx Dubrow &a; Canter

  • Website: hfdclaw.com
  • Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
  • Headcount: 1-10

Harrington, Foxx, Dubrow and Canter is an established AV rated law firm with offices throughout California. The firm handles a complete spectrum of defense matters including general liability, product liability, personal injury, advertising injury, toxic torts, construction defect, employment matters, insurance coverage litigation and select criminal defense representation. We have extensive experience in dealing with major self-insured entities and their risk management programs as well as with insurance carriers at the primary and excess levels. The Firm has represented a variety of institutions and individuals in this state and throughout the Western United States for over 70 years. This history has presented the firm the opportunity to establish long-term relationships with many of our clients and we seek to foster and develop those types of mutually rewarding alliances in the future with new partners. We understand that our clients have different priorities and requirements and we work together with each client to create a plan that best suits their needs. We believe it is our responsibility to communicate information necessary to evaluate a matter as soon as possible. We consider it an important obligation to discuss both the strength and weaknesses of a legal position so that our clients have sufficient information to properly evaluate a case. We also appreciate the economics of each case and the importance of developing an appropriate file handling strategy, be it concerning a litigated case, or a coverage matter, of course, dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each situation.


22. Lucas Valley Law

Lucas Valley Law provides big firm service with small firm fees. Legal services for corporations and individuals: business disputes, admiralty/maritime law, asbestos defense, premises liability, real estate litigation.


23. Sullivan, Johns &a; Lundberg

  • Website: sjllawyers.com
  • Headquarters: Westlake Village, California, United States
  • Founded: 2014
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • LinkedIn

Sullivan, Johns & lundberg LLP,A Westlake Villiage CA law firm offering estate planning, employment law, aviation law and gerneral litigation.


24. Weil Law

Weil & Associates Maritime is a law firm specializing in maritime law for businesses and individuals. With over 25 years of experience, they offer legal representation in vessel purchases and sales, use tax consulting, personal and commercial maritime matters, and Jones Act lawsuits.


25. Kaye, Rose & Partners LLP

  • Website: kayerose.com
  • Headquarters: Santa Monica, California, United States
  • Founded: 1991
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

Kaye, Rose & Partners is a full-service law firm specializing in maritime law and offering an array of legal services to businesses worldwide. With offices in California's major port cities, they represent multinational companies, insurance companies, and individuals in various personal injury and commercial litigation cases. Their areas of expertise include maritime trade, transportation, government agency regulation, traditional and new media entertainment, and corporate transactions.


Want to find more maritime law firms?


If you want to find more companies that offer a range of legal services within the maritime industry you can do so with Inven. This list was built with Inven and there are hundreds of companies like these globally.


With Inven you'll also get to know the company's:


  • Ownership: Which of these are private equity backed? Which are family-owned?
  • Contact data: Who are the owners and CEO's? What are their emails and phone numbers?
  • Financials: How do these companies perform financially? What are their revenues and profit margins?

...and a lot more!