Jay T. Huffman is a member of our Maritime Emergency Response Team (“MERT”). Jay concentrates his practice in the areas of admiralty and maritime law and energy-related litigation matters.
Jay represents publically traded and privately owned companies in all phases of complex litigation, arbitration and commercial counseling on matters including:
- personal injury and wrongful death claims arising under the Jones Act, Longshore & Harbor Workers Compensation Act (“LHWCA”), and the Outer Continental Shelf Act (“OSCLA”)
- U.S. Coast Guard investigations of vessel owners and managers for environmental violations and casualties arising under marine pollution regulations (“MARPOL”)
- oil and hazardous materials spill incidents involving the application of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA 90”), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), and the Texas Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act (“OSPRA”)
- vessel collisions and allisions
- coastwise trade
- charterparty disputes, including laytime/demurrage, liability for cargo damage claims, and arbitrations under SMA rules
- limitation of Liability actions under 46 U.S.C. § 181, et seq., maritime attachment (Rule B), and vessel arrest (Rule C) actions
- serious marine incident investigations
- general commercial litigation
Jay is a Proctor member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States.
While in law school, Jay was elected to the Order of the Barristers. Prior to law school, he served as an active-duty Military Intelligence Officer in the United States Army, attaining the rank of Captain.
During his service, he earned the Airborne (Parachute) and Air Assault badges and served in various positions, including Company Executive Officer and Intelligence Officer for a Mechanized Infantry Battalion.
Experience:
- A foreign ship management company, in a personal injury lawsuit involving an offshore transfer operation. The jury verdict for the ship management company found no liability.
- A domestic tanker owner at a joint USCG and NTSB hearing on a collision and resulting oil spill incident.
- A foreign ship owner and negotiated a deferred prosecution agreement for alleged violations of MARPOL and the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (“APPS”).
- Defended numerous cases involving the unfortunate deaths of Jones Act seamen and longshoremen, and defended many more cases of serious injury to maritime and land-based workers.
- Pro Bono—A Vietnam Veteran at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims regarding his appeal for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder benefits.
EDUCATION:
- United States Military Academy, BS
- Baylor University School of Law, JD
ADMISSIONS:
- U.S. District Court – Northern District of Texas
- Texas
- U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court – Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court – Western District of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
MEMBERSHIPS:
- Federal Bar Association
- Houston Bar Association
- Houston Mariners Club
- Maritime Law Association of the United States
- Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute
Cost
Rate : $$$