Alfred J.

Rufty, III

Position: Partner
Office: New Orleans

Al Rufty is a member of the maritime litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution team. He provides broad-ranging maritime litigation and commercial litigation services to clients across the United States and internationally.

For three decades, Al has represented vessel owners and operators, offshore service companies, marine insurers, shipyards, cargo owners, and other industry players. His clients include domestic and foreign companies with interests and operations throughout the US Gulf Coast, in Mexico, and beyond.

Al enjoys trial work and regularly litigates on his clients’ behalf in matters involving maritime casualties — collisions, allisions, personal injury, property damage, and cargo loss — as well as in contractual disputes, often involving vessel charters, shipyard repairs, or marine insurance coverage.

He works closely with clients to identify the issues at the heart of any dispute and to adopt practical strategies to resolve the issues quickly and effectively. When negotiated settlements are not an option, Al draws on his significant trial experience to present his clients’ cases before judges and juries in federal and state courts. Al has won a number of high-profile victories and been quoted in national legal and business publications such as Law360.

Al has deep experience in matters involving the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, and other federal laws and regulations. He also regularly advises clients regarding the purchase or sale of vessels, and he is one of an exclusive group of lawyers that has advised international treasure hunters with respect to the identification and recovery of shipwrecks and their cargo.