University Catalog 2026-2027

Admiralty Law (ADMR)

ADMR 2010  Admiralty I  (3)  

This course will survey substantive matters, including carriage of goods by sea; charter parties; personal injury and death; collision; towage, pilotage, and salvage. Admiralty I is not a prerequisite for the course in Admiralty II; however, both Admiralty I and II are required for J.D. students prior to enrollment in any other Admiralty courses that are regularly offered. Advanced Admiralty courses may not be taken by J.D. students simultaneously with either Admiralty I or II.

ADMR 2020  Admiralty II  (3)  

This course deals mostly with jurisdictional and procedural matters, including jurisdiction over maritime claims, considerations of federalism, forum non conveniens, choice of law, special procedures in admiralty cases, limitation of liability, and maritime liens. Admiralty II may be taken prior to Admiralty I. Both courses must be taken by J.D. students as prerequisites to any other regularly offered admiralty courses.

ADMR 6000  Admiralty Seminar  (2,3)  

The goal of this seminar is to introduce you to some issues in admiralty law that are not dealt with in our core admiralty classes or, in many cases, in the more advanced upper-level classes, either because there is not time to cover them or because they are fast-developing issues of the present moment. In the first three weeks of class, I will give presentations on some suggested research paper topics of this kind, including decarbonization of the shipping industry, “green” ship financing, human rights at sea, and ship recycling (formerly known as scrapping). By the fourth week of semester, you should have developed at least some tentative ideas about the topic for your research paper. Each of you will have to make a “work in progress” presentation to the class at some point during the semester, according to a schedule to be agreed.

Prerequisite(s): ADMR 2010 or minimum score of PASS in 'Law Graduate Student'.
A minimum grade of is required in ADMR 2010.

ADMR 6080  Carriage of Goods By Sea  (2)  

This course involves the legal problems arising out of damage to cargoes transported between the United States and foreign ports and focusing on the Carriage of Goods by Sea and Harter Acts. There is an emphasis placed on the actual practice of maritime law. Students must participate in an ungraded mock cargo negotiation.

Prerequisite(s): ADMR 2010* or minimum score of Pass in 'Law Graduate Student'.
* May be taken concurrently.
A minimum grade of is required in ADMR 2010.

ADMR 6220  Personal Injury & Death  (2)  

An advanced course in admiralty law concentrating on rights and liabilities arising out of the personal injury and death of seamen, longshoremen, harbor-workers, and third parties under both federal and state law.

ADMR 6350  Collision Law and Limitation of Liability  (3)  

This course provides an in-depth study of limitation of liability from a practical point of view. After studying the theory of limitation of liability, the course will turn to a detailed discussion of asserting the right to limit, the limitation fund, its content, and distributing the fund. This course then presents the general principles of maritime collision law. These principles include causation, legal presumptions, statutory violations and their effect, apportionment of fault, damages, special evidentiary rules, and an overview of navigation Rules of the Road and their interpretation.

Prerequisite(s): minimum score of PASS in 'Law Graduate Student' or (ADMR 2010* and 2020).
* May be taken concurrently.
A minimum grade of is required in ADMR 2010 and ADMR 2020.

ADMR 6430  Marine Insurance I  (2)  

An advanced admiralty course that focuses on the legal problems involved in insurance against physical loss or damage to maritime property (builder's risk and hull), against maritime liabilities (protection and indemnity), and for damage to cargo. JD students must have taken Admiralty I and II. JD students must write the exam, but LLM candidates may write an advanced level paper if they so choose. This course will be taught by Brandon Thibodeaux, an associate with Frilot LLC.

Prerequisite(s): (ADMR 2010 and 2020) or minimum score of PASS in 'Law Graduate Student'.
A minimum grade of is required in ADMR 2010 and ADMR 2020.

ADMR 6435  Marine Insurance  (3)  

The course will deal with legal issues relating to insurance against physical loss of or damage to maritime property (hull and machinery, cargo, commercial marine property, builder’s risks) and against maritime liabilities (mutual self-insurance by Protection and Indemnity Associations and commercial insurance against pollution liability). It will also deal with how such insurance contracts are made and the liability of agents, brokers, and underwriters, the effect of the insolvency of an insurance company, excess and surplus lines coverage, and reinsurance.

ADMR 6440  Marine Insurance II  (2)  

Marine Insurance II is an advanced admiralty course that focuses on the legal problems arising out of marine insurance policies. The course examines hull, cargo, P&I, commercial marine property and liability policies including the liability of agents, brokers, and underwriters, the effect of the insolvency of an insurance company, excess and surplus lines coverage, the duty of defend, reinsurance, and current problems in the law of marine insurance coverage. Admiralty I and II are prerequisites. The course is taught by Richard Cozad who is a Partner at Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea & BenMaier P.L.L.C.

Prerequisite(s): ADMR 2010 and 2020.
A minimum grade of is required in ADMR 2010 and ADMR 2020.

ADMR 6540  Personal Injury & Death  (2)  

An advanced course in admiralty law concentrating on rights and liabilities arising out of the personal injury and death of seamen, longshoremen, harbor-workers, and third parties under both federal and state law.

ADMR 6730  Regulation of Shipping  (2)  

This survey course addresses the regulation of domestic shipping and foreign shipping calling at United States ports. Primary emphasis is on the various governmental agencies that regulate shipping and maritime commerce with secondary emphasis on the role of international treaties and conventions. Specifically examined are the activities of agencies such as the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Transportation Safety Board and various state agencies. Areas addressed include vessel inspections, pollution regulation, navigation rules, marine casualty investigations, vessel & waterfront facility security, merchant mariner licensing and license revocation, pilotage and ocean shipping regulation.

Prerequisite(s): ADMR 2010* or minimum score of PASS in 'Law Graduate Student'.
* May be taken concurrently.
A minimum grade of is required in ADMR 2010.

ADMR 6800  Admiralty: Towage & Offshore Services  (2)  

Tugboats, barges, offshore support vessels, and offshore petroleum and renewable energy installations like offshore wind farms provide crucial services in today's global economy, all of which impact towage and offshore services in the admiralty context. This course examines the history, development, and current state of laws - some familiar, some quite specialized - that apply in the context of towage and offshore services. Both casualties and contracts are studied. The course focus is on U.S. law, but the laws of other countries like the U.K. are compared and contrasted when relevant, and internationally recognized contract forms are analyzed.

Prerequisite(s): minimum score of PASS in 'Law Graduate Student' or (ADMR 2010 and 2020).
A minimum grade of D- is required in ADMR 2010 and ADMR 2020.

ADMR 6880  Admiralty: Vessel Documentation & Finance  (2)  

Students in this course work with materials concerning the documentation of vessels and financing from initial decision to construct to permanent financing. A knowledge of maritime law, commercial law and security rights is recommended. The course is conceived of as a practical course, with emphasis on the financial decisions of vessel operators and financiers. Attention is also given to maritime insurance issues affecting financiers. Admiralty I and II are prerequisites.

Prerequisite(s): ADMR 2010 and 2020.
A minimum grade of is required in ADMR 2010 and ADMR 2020.