Steven M. Stancliff

Mr. Stancliff is engaged primarily in civil litigation in federal and state courts, focusing on admiralty and maritime law.

Relevant Experience

• Retired from the United States Coast Guard at the rank of Commander. Held wide array of legal, engineering and operational assignments in New York City, Newport, RI, Cleveland, OH, Honolulu, HI, San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA. Coast Guard service concluded as the personal advisor and Executive Assistant to the Coast Guard Commander, Atlantic Area and Defense Forces East in Portsmouth, Virginia.
• As a Judge Advocate, routinely advised Coast Guard and other federal officials regarding maritime operations, regulation of commercial shipping and licensed mariners, environmental compliance, criminal investigations and enforcement, maritime trade, maritime transportation security, investigation of major marine casualties, and international law issues.
• As Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, litigated civil claims in Admiralty on behalf of the United States Government, including ship collisions, groundings, oil spills, contract disputes and law enforcement activities.
• Directed and coordinated complex civil and criminal investigations among numerous federal, state and international investigative agencies in maritime context.
• Served as the primary legal advisor to the federal incident command post in Boston supporting security operations for the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
• Formerly served as Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Districts of Maine and Rhode Island addressing allegations of oil pollution, MARPOL violations, and violent crime on the high seas.
  

Practice Area Links:

• Civil Litigation
• Maritime Law
• Environmental Law
• Subrogation

Businesses and Industries:

• General Maritime companies
• Dredging Companies
• Marine Salvors
• Vessel Owners
• Shipyard and Waterfront Facilities
• U.S. and International Marine Insurer
• Marina Owners and Operators
• Railroads

Articles and Presentations:

• Created and delivered Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association CLE Seminar — A Legal Guide to Pleasure Boating — covering subjects including: the nautical rules of the road, the legal framework for Coast Guard search and rescue operations, the evolution of government maritime security regimes, laws for the protection of the environment, and law enforcement authorities on the navigable waters of the United States; May 2008

• Panelist for State and Federal Cooperation in Maritime Homeland Security Mission; National Association of State Boating Law Administrators 45th Annual Conference, 2004

• Delivered lectures and training to governmental officials regarding the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea, maritime security, and international fisheries law and management during Defense International Institute of Legal Studies 2003 mission to the archipelagic state of Vanuatu.