Background
Michael Orlando's column on maritime
law presents the basics for a general understanding of the application of
admiralty and maritime law.
Since becoming licensed to practice law in May 1982, Mr. Orlando has
practiced maritime law, representing many different maritime interests in a
broad spectrum of transactions and claims, in venues throughout Texas and the
Gulf Coast. His clients have included ship owners, charterers, agents,
stevedores, terminal operators, cargo owners, insurers, a wide variety of
marine service and supply companies, financial institutions, and many others
involved in maritime commerce.
Mr. Orlando has represented many Lloyd's underwriters and foreign
insurers, Fortune 500 companies, and business interests of all sizes, as well
as individuals involved with the maritime community. He is board certified in
both civil pretrial practice and civil trial advocacy by the National Board of
Trial Advocacy and has tried cases throughout Texas in federal and state courts
as well as in administrative tribunals. He is also an adjunct professor
teaching pretrial litigation at the University of Houston Law School. His
litigation experience includes being lead counsel in a case involving over $100
million in alleged damages from inception through oral argument in the U.S.
Supreme Court.
Mr. Orlando has been the chairman of the Board of Directors and head of the
Executive Committee of the nonprofit Houston International Seafarers Center,
known throughout the world as one of the finest centers for visiting seaman. He
is an active member of the Propeller Club of the United States and the Houston
Mariners Club, in which he served as chairman in 1991. He was also the chairman
of The Houston Port Safety Advisory Council in 1992.
Mr. Orlando has been member of the Maritime Law Association of the United
States since 1982. He is a Proctor member of that organization and presently
serves on the Marine Insurance Committee as well as the Offshore Industries
Committee. He has written and lectured extensively on marine and insurance
topics. In addition, Mr. Orlando has been the chair of the American Bar
Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Insurance Coverage Litigation
Committee and the Corporate Counsel Committee. He also served as the chair of
the International/London Market Committee of the State Bar of Texas, Insurance
Law Section. He is also a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate
Counsel of DRI.
Mr. Orlando is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, with
a degree in Honors Business Program and Finance and a Juris Doctorate degree
from the University of Houston Law Center.