Thomas (Buddy)

Bardenwerper

Buddy has unique insight into the investigation and evaluation of marine casualties and disputes and advises clients in a wide range of issues and claims. As a former United States Coast Guard officer, he interacted with various maritime industries and gained a practical understanding of how vessels and their crews operate according to both domestic and international maritime law.

Before Jones Walker, Buddy served as a staff attorney for Justice John D. Couriel of the Florida Supreme Court and as a law clerk to Judge Roy K. Altman of the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. At the Florida Supreme Court, Buddy drafted complex judicial opinions that resolved Florida’s most difficult appellate issues. And at the Southern District of Florida, Buddy drafted numerous court orders involving many different aspects of federal and state law, including maritime and admiralty law.

Prior to attending Harvard Law School, Buddy spent four years aboard Coast Guard cutters — namely, RELIANCE and JOSEPH TEZANOS — participating in law enforcement and humanitarian missions from the Gulf of Maine to the Caribbean Basin. Buddy’s final assignment was at Coast Guard Headquarters, where he regularly briefed the Commandant and handled critical incident communications involving pollution, search and rescue, and law enforcement cases.