Edward F.

LeBreton, III

Bret has represented assureds, underwriters, and other industry participants in a broad range of disputes involving hull, cargo, builder's risk, P&I, MEL, CGL, control of well, and excess and umbrella policies. He has given opinions regarding coverage, prepared reservations of rights, and advised lenders with respect to the insurance aspects of maritime finance transactions. From 1990 to 1994, Bret served as chairman of the US Maritime Law Association sub-committee on P&I insurance and, from 1994 to 1998, as chairman of the organization’s standing committee on marine insurance and general average.

Bret is an experienced maritime attorney who has represented numerous vessel, charter, and cargo interests. He has obtained judgments for carriers on the basis of error in navigation, customary freight unit, and lack of a recoverable property interest, as well as for charter and cargo interests recovering for the loss of packaged and bulk shipments.

He has litigated collision, removal of wreck, pollution, products liability, and other vessel-related cases in inland and blue-water settings; prosecuted complaints for exoneration from limitation of liability and obtained judgments of no fault in collision cases; and has arrested vessels in the assertion of various maritime liens, including those arising from charter parties.