Samuel P. Blatchley

Bar / Professional Activity

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
• Board of Directors for Maritime Law Association of the United States
• United States District Court for Eastern District of New York
• United States District Court for Western District of Michigan
• United States District Court for Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont
• Maritime Law Association of the United States: Chairman for the Maritime Practice and Procedure Committee, Point person for review of Local Admiralty Rules for all Federal Districts, Salvage Committee, Contributor to the Recent Developments in Salvage Law Marine Finance Committee, Civil Rule 82 Working Group;  Member of Ad-Hoc Subcommittee for District of Rhode Island Local Rules Review Committee which drafted the Local Admiralty Rules for the District of Rhode Island, effective as of January 15, 2013; Massachusetts Bar Association; Connecticut Maritime Association; Rhode Island Bar Association; New York State Bar Association, 2021
• Massachusetts Lobsterman’s Association, Corporate Member, 2021 to Present
• Mariners Club of Massachusetts, Member, 2017 to Present
• Maine Bar Association, Member, 2017 to Present
• Rhode Island Bar Association, Member, 2010 to Present
• Maine
• New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
• U.S. District Court District of Rhode Island
• U.S. District Court District of Connecticut
• Rhode Island
• U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
• U.S. District Court District of Maine
• Massachusetts

Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)

• RECENT DECISIONS  Malinowski v. Rachel Leah, LLC, No. 1:25-cv-12002 (D. Mass. Dec. 18, 2025)(obtained dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction in a maritime personal injury action and transfer of the case to the District of New Hampshire); In re Complaint of Marcotte, No. 25-173, 2025 WL 2506130 (D.R.I. Sept. 2, 2025) (obtained denial of RIDEM’s motion to lift the Limitation Act stay, where the court held that allowing parallel state civil enforcement proceedings to proceed would undermine the federal concursus and risk inconsistent determinations on negligence central to limitation and exoneration); Man Against Xtinction v. Jacobs, No. 1:25-cv-10377 (D. Mass. July 29, 2025) (obtained an order granting a pre-filing injunction against a litigant, requiring court approval before any future actions against the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association or its officers and employees); Sanzo v. Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., No. 1:25-cv-11675 (D. Mass. July 22, 2025) (part of the defense team obtaining dismissal of a federal action brought by a Jones Act seaman, where the court held that damages-related affirmative defenses are presumptively arbitrable and must be resolved by the arbitrator); East Farm Commercial Fisheries Center v. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, No. PC-2024-02162 (R.I. Super. Ct., Providence Cty., July 23, 2025) (granting plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment; holding that the 2024 Vessel Monitoring System Rule is preempted by § 101 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act; and permanently enjoining RIDEM from enforcing the rule against federally permitted lobster and Jonah crab vessels); In re Mataronas Lobster Co., Inc., No. 1:20-cv-00328 (D.R.I. Apr. 16, 2025) (obtained summary judgment limiting claimant’s damages where the court held that alleged neck, shoulder, and headache injuries required expert medical testimony on causation, which claimant failed to produce) Sanzo v. Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 2473CV00151 (Mass. Super. Ct. Jan. 8, 2025) (part of team obtaining decision granting Motion to Dismiss and Compel a Jones Act Seaman to arbitrate Jones Act negligence and other claims pursuant to M.G.L. c. 251 where seaman agreed to arbitrate such claims in a crew contract signed before the voyage) HC&D, LLC v. Cashman Equipment Corp., Civil Action No. 22-cv-10224-ADB, 2024 WL 4626223) (D. Mass. Oct. 30, 2024) (defeating Motion to Dismiss client’s claims for fraudulent and fraudulent inducement in connection with purchase of a Barge) East Farm Commercial Fisheries Center. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, et al., Civil Action No. PC-2024-02162 (R.I. Super. Ct. Aug. 16, 2024) (granting client’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and Administrative Stay enjoining and restraining State and its officials from enforcing or requiring compliance with a regulation requiring federal lobster and Jonah crab. vessels to use a Vessel Monitoring System while engaging in fishing operations) In re James R. Silver, Civil Action No. 1:22-cv-11833, (D. Mass. August 9, 2024) (dismissing negligence claims against client at Motion to Dismiss stage in connection with vessel fire allegedly destroying and/or damaging eight buildings, 47 motor vehicles, three houses, 28 boats, and other property) Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, Inc. v. National Marine Fisheries Service, Civil Action No. 24-10332-WGY, 2024 WL 2194021 (D. Mass. March 15, 2024 (after Trial, Court held that the Government’s regulation violated Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 and was therefore void and unenforceable through December 31, 2028) Denver v. Markel American Insurance Co., Civil Action No. 22-cv-11150-ADB, 2024 WL 1075102 (D. Mass. March 12, 2024) (granting Motion to Dismiss breach of contract claims against insurer client in connection with coverage dispute) IncredibleBank v. PROVOCATIVE (O.N. 1248080), in rem, 710 F.Supp.3d 103 (D. RI 2024) (in a Supplemental Admiralty Rule D Action, granting client’s Motion for Final Judgment on the Pleadings asserting client’s rights to possession to Vessel and for interim judgment of liability against Vessel Owner) Maine Lobstermen’s Ass’n v. Nat’l Marine Fisheries Serv., 70 F.4th 582 (D.C. Cir. 2023) (holding that the National Marine Fisheries Service violated the Administrative Procedure Act and Endangered Species Act requirement to use reasonably certain outcomes and invalidated the Biological Opinion which would have led to crushing regulations and undoubtedly the loss of many jobs in the lobstering industry, including our clients) Crummey v. CMA CGM (AMERICA) LLC, et al, Civil Action No. 23-10621-LTS (D. Mass. Oct. 19, 2023) (dismissing claims for, inter alia, negligence, breach of contract, and violations of M.G.L. c. 93A against client at Motion to Dismiss stage in connection with a dispute arising out of a phishing scam) Strahan v. Cosco Container Lines, America, Inc., et al., 22-cv-10722-DJC, 2023 WL 3457905 (D. Mass. May 15, 2023) (granting Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings and finding that the Plaintiff lacked standing to sue our container line client and that his Endangered Species Act claims were entirely implausible) Transpac Marine, LLC v. Yachinsure Services, Inc. Civil Action No. —F.Supp.3d—, 2023 WL 1970087 (D. Mass. Feb. 13, 2023) (granting defendant insurer client’s Cross Motion for Summary Judgment on breach of contract and claims under M.G.L. c. 93A and Florida Statute 627.428, denying Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment on breach of contract and claims under M.G.L. c. 93A and Florida Statute 627.428, and holding that Plaintiff breached its promissory warranty under an insurance policy such that there was no coverage for seven figure hull, pollution, and other claims under the Policy) MAX v. Cosco Container Lines America, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 1:22-cv-10722-DJC (Nov. 10, 2022) (denying temporary restraining order sought against vessel owner on allegations that client was violating the Endangered Species Act) Global Montello Group Corp. v. Seaboard Marine, Ltd., Inc. d/b/a Seaboard Marine, Ltd., Civil Action No. 21-11363-WGY (D. Mass. February 1, 2022) (in Declaratory Judgment Action, granting Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings and declaring that Global’s incorporated by reference Bunker Supply contract governed the relationship of the parties, that Global had no duty to appear or defend Seaboard pursuant to Seaboard’s demand that Global be “vouched in” to London Arbitration commenced by owners against Seaboard as time charterers, and that Seaboard’s vessel damage and loss hire claims were barred by the terms of the Bunker Supply Contract and the maritime economic loss doctrine) Atlantic Specialty Insurance Co. v. Karl’s Boat Shop, Inc., 480 F.Supp.3d 322 (D. Mass. 2020) (granting Summary Judgement to client in Declaratory Judgment Action and holding marina policy was maritime contract and that the policy was void under the maritime doctrine of uberrimae fidei and no coverage was provided to cover damage to multiple vessels stored in a barn) Cashman Equipment Corp. v. American Marine Corporation, 471 F.Supp.3d 351 (D. Mass. 2020) (granting Summary Judgement to client and enforcing the “knock-for-knock” provision of BIMCO TOWHIRE exculpating client for claimed damages in excess of $1,000,000 during Winter Storm Grayson) Global Companies, LLC & others v. HOP Energy, LLC & another, Civil Action No. 16-03347-E, Suffolk Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, October 1, 2019 (denying opposing party’s Motion for Summary Judgment and granting client’s Cross – Motion for Summary for failure to obtain contractually required insurance coverage and resulting in Judgment for client in the amount of $650,598.07 plus interest) Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. v. ATS Specialized, Inc., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 158516 (D. Mass. Aug. 20, 2021) (holding that in a case which arose from substantial damage done to submarine during its transport, plaintiffs sued for breach of contract, and liability under Carmack Amendment, to extent defendants sought to limit entirety of potential liability of client, defendants’ motion was denied as there remained genuine issues of material fact as to total damages suffered by client) In re Victory Chimes, Inc., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82660 (D. Me. Apr. 30, 2021) (holding that client was entitled to maintain limitation action under the Limitation Act of 1851 and entering a default against non-answering parties) Coastal Marine Management, LLC d/b/a Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina v. Additional Return, LLC, 411 F.Supp.3d 118 (D. Mass. 2019) (granting order that client was entitled to seek unpaid custody costs from mortgagee, that mortgagee was responsible for its pro rata share of custody costs, and that client was entitled to an award of prejudgment interest) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution v. ATS Specialized, Inc., 2019 WL 1276124 (D. Mass. Mar. 20, 2019) (sustaining client’s objection to Magistrate Judge’s Report & Recommendation and ordering that client’s claims for unfair and deceptive practices in connection with the destruction of the submersible Deep Sea Challenger were not preempted by federal law; allowing client’s claims against Australian government Museum for damage to the submersible Deep Sea Challenger; allowing client’s claims against freight forwarder for damage to the submersible Deep Sea Challenger)

Representative Clients

• Act as outside general counsel to foreign Hull & Protection Indemnity Insurer
• Represent fishery organization in claims against National Marine Fisheries Service
• Act as outside general counsel for multiple organizations advocating for the rights of fisheries.
• Represent client, one of the largest scallop fleets in the world, in claims under the Jones Act and the general maritime law.
• Represent client, one of the largest scallop fleets in the world, in claims under the Jones Act and the general maritime law.
• Represent client, which is one of the largest scallop fleets in the world, in connection with claims under the Jones Act and general maritime law

Transactions

• Represent fishery advocate groups in challenging illegal regulations issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service
• Representation of yacht dealers and buyers in vessel purchase and sale agreements; Representation of vessel owners and charterers in bareboat, time and voyage charter negotiations; Representation of vessel owners with respect to vessel documentation and flagging issues; Representation of banks and private lenders in the negotiation of Preferred Ship and Fleet Mortgages; Representation of various entities in marine services agreements; Representation of the purchaser of a preferred ship mortgage note on a vessel in the purchase of the mortgage note, the self help remedy of private repossession and sale of the vessel pursuant to state law, and the subsequent federal documentation of the vessel; Representation of restaurant in permitting and construction of floating barge for dining

Special Licenses / Certifications

• The designation "Proctor in Admiralty" is of ancient origin and applied to lawyers entitled to handle maritime litigation. The word "Proctor" was derived from the Roman word "Procurator", which was translated into English as "Proctor" when the Admiralty Courts were set up in England in the 13th century with jurisdiction over disputes within the Royal Navy as well as purely commercial maritime matters. The designation was continued in the American colonies and, until recently, in our federal court system. "Proctor" was deemed appropriate for use in the Maritime Law Association of the United States to designate the most distinguished class of membership for practicing maritime attorneys.

Pro bono / Community Service

• Representation of Haitian immigrant in custody proceedings and related proceedings seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
• Panel Counsel United States Coast Guard Office of the Chief of Administrative Law Judge, 2015 to Present
• Kids in Need of Defense Immigration Cases, 2015 to 2017

Honors

• Best Lawyers in America® for Admiralty and Maritime Law, Best Lawyers in America®, 2026
• The Admiralty and Maritime Law “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers® for 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts., Best Lawyers in America®, 2025
• Best Lawyers in America® for Admiralty and Maritime Law, Best Lawyers in America®, 2025
• Best Lawyers in America® for Admiralty and Maritime Law, Best Lawyers in America®, 2024
• New England Super Lawyer™, Transportation and Maritime Law, Super Lawyers, 2024
• New England Super Lawyer™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2023
• Best Lawyers in America® for Admiralty and Maritime Law, 2024
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2022
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2021
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2020
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2019
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2018
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2017
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2016
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2015
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2014
• Sam was qualified as a Proctor in Admiralty by the Maritime Law Association of the United States in 2015.  The Proctor designation is granted by the Maritime Law Association of the United States, "to designate the most distinguished class of membership for practicing maritime attorneys.", Proctor in Admiralty, Maritime Law Association of the United States, 2015
• Pro Bono Community Champion
• CALI Award – Marine Insurance, 2007
• Hilldale Award Winner for Honors Thesis, 2004
• Phi Beta Kappa, 2004
• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2013

Educational Background

• University of Wisconsin, Madison, B.A., in History and Political Science, 2004, With Honors & With Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa

Scholarly Lectures / Writings

• Contributor to Benedict's Maritime Bulletin
• A summary of making a challenge to a Fisheries regulation, Drafter, Administrative Law Goes to Sea: Making a Regulatory Challenge Against a Fishery Regulation, Benedicts Maritime Bulletin, Vol. 22, No. 3, Third Quarter 2024, Admiralty, Administrative, 2024
• Maritime Liens & Mortgages (Guest lecture), Suffolk University Law School, 2019
• The Nuts and Bolts of Vessel/Permit Seizure, Maritime Law Association of the US, 2021
• Substitute Security, In Rem Jurisdiction, Appellate Jurisdiction, and Lozman, Benedicts Maritime Bulletin, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2013

• Fisheries
• Marine Insurance
• Shipping