Responding to Marine Casualties: Ten Personal Guidelines

Maritime attorney Matthew Vafidis authored a paper offering his 10 personal guidelines for responding to marine casualties. These include responding immediately, without hesitation, to a client's request for counsel in the wake of an incident; keeping detailed notes to stay organized throughout an investigation; identifying and gathering documents or electronic evidence; and providing regular reports to the client. Mr. Vafidis also highlights the utmost importance of preserving evidence, including maintaining a chain of custody log to verify the source of evidence and how long it has been preserved. Additionally, he touches on the stressful nature of investigations, particularly those involving government authorities such as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and U.S. Coast Guard, advising lawyers to be prepared for facts to emerge over time and encouraging them to find ways to unplug or make connections with those working alongside them.

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