Dennis L. Bryant's practice primarily involves national and international maritime, regulatory, and environmental matters. As an attorney with the U.S. Coast Guard, he formulated service policy with regard to Law of the Sea issues, and the negotiation of international agreements related to the Coast Guard. For three years he supervised the largest rulemaking project in Coast Guard history: implementation of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). This project involved the preparation of regulations relating to double hulls for oil tankers, vessel response plans, lightering zones, and approximately 40 other rulemaking and study projects. He was also the principal author of the Coast Guard Regulatory Reform Act of 1996, which enabled that agency to streamline many of its oversight practices related to the merchant marine. He chaired the team that totally revamped and systematized the Coast Guard's rulemaking process. As a trial attorney, he represented the federal government in admiralty cases involving collision, grounding, aids to navigation, wake damage and pollution. Mr. Bryant monitors maritime developments within the federal government and interacts on behalf of clients with federal agencies such as the Coast Guard, the Federal Maritime Commission, the Maritime Administration, the US Customs and Border Protection, and the Military Sealift Command.
Mr. Bryant has lectured at the Baltic and International Maritime Council, Maritime Association of the Port of New York/New Jersey, British Maritime Law Association, Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce, the Swedish Club, the Cotton Club, the Propeller Club of the United States, the Marine Log, the Maritime Security Seminar, the AIS Conference, and the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities. His publications include articles in Lloyd's List, Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Baltic Magazine, BIMCO Review, the International Maritime Law, and the Journal of Commerce.
Mr. Bryant publishes an electronic newsletter – Haight's Maritime Items – discussing legal issues of importance to the maritime community. He also maintains a site on the Internet – Maritime Spotlight – which tracks recent legislation, regulations, and court decisions impacting the industry.