Overview

Gerald Morrissey is a maritime and international trade attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Morrissey focuses his practice on the development, financing and operation of maritime- and international trade-related companies and projects. He regularly advises clients on ocean shipping and trade contracting and regulatory compliance matters, offshore energy industry maritime matters, and vessel ownership and operating matters.

Mr. Morrissey's transactional experience includes a wide range of maritime-related investments and acquisitions, operational contracting (e.g., charters and vessel use agreements) and diverse finance matters. Mr. Morrissey has represented numerous institutional lenders, private equity investors, as well as corporate borrower-side clients, on asset-backed corporate lending, vessel and equipment lease finance, private placement debt and structured finance projects.

A significant portion of Mr. Morrissey's practice also involves administrative counseling and maritime regulatory matters, including matters involving the Federal Maritime Commission, U.S. Maritime Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He has extensive maritime litigation experience before the Federal Maritime Commission, and in federal district and appellate courts involving federal maritime law and U.S. Shipping Act matters.

Mr. Morrissey's combination of maritime transactional and regulatory experience has had particular application to the offshore energy and renewable energy industries. He has represented numerous clients with traditional offshore oil and gas infrastructure and transportation projects. In the developing offshore wind industry, he has advised clients on offshore turbine supply and installation contracts; operation and maintenance contracts; corporate investments and structuring (including Jones Act compliance); dredging and cable laying matters; state and federal law jurisdiction, employment and liability matters; and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and U.S. Coast Guard permitting and regulatory matters.

Credentials

Education
  • Tulane University Law School, J.D., cum laude
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst, B.A., cum laude
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • District of Columbia
  • Massachusetts
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Memberships
  • Tulane Maritime Law Journal, Editor-in-Chief
Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Admiralty and Maritime Law, 2020-2023
  • Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers guide, Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Regulatory, 2022, 2023
  • The Legal 500 USA, Transport: Shipping – Finance, 2018, 2020-2023; Transport: Shipping – Litigation, 2018; Transport: Shipping – Regulation, 2018

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News