Spotlight on Thomas H. Belknap, Jr.
THOMAS H. BELKNAP, JR Partner and Maritime Practice Co-Chair
HOW DID YOU GET INTO MARITIME LAW? Coming out of law school I thought I wanted to practice international commercial litigation, and when I applied for jobs, Healy & Baillie( then a boutique maritime firm, which subsequently combined with Blank Rome), showed interest in me because I had a sailing background and a Coast Guard launchtender’ s license. I had never considered the maritime angle professionally prior to that point, but when I thought about it, I immediately got excited about combining my passion for being on the water with my career choice. I remember calling my dad a few weeks after I started and bragging that I got to read charts at work!
WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST INTERESTING ABOUT THE MARITIME INDUSTRY? Maritime law is an industry practice more than a specific legal discipline, and practicing in this field requires both a broad understanding of the law and a deep understanding of the industry. It has been absolutely fascinating to dive deep into the maritime industry and to learn so much about how goods are transported around the world and about how delicate— and invisible— the global shipping world is … until something goes wrong.
HOW DOES OUR DEEP EXPERIENCE IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY PROVIDE US WITH A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE?
One thing that really came into focus after we got the call on the Dali / Key Bridge matter for the owner / manager interests was how broad and deep our group’ s experience really is. We have had to manage one of the largest marine casualties in history, including managing a casualty response and marine salvage and debris removal operation; a civil limitation of liability proceeding; a National Transportation Safety Board investigation; a Coast Guard investigation; a criminal investigation; general average and salvage claims; and charter party claims, not to mention a product liability claim against the ship builder. And we have been able to manage every single aspect of this case in-house. It has been inspiring and humbling to be part of such an amazing team.
HOW DOES THE INDUSTRY TEAM / PRACTICE GROUP WORK WITH BLANK ROME’ S OTHER SERVICE LINES? We work regularly with other practice groups at the firm to help service our clients. Just in the past year, I have worked with our bankruptcy, labor and employment, corporate / M & A, and international trade groups, as well as our government relations affiliate, on several different matters for Blank Rome Maritime clients. And at the same time, I have worked with colleagues across the firm to provide maritime advice to their clients on multiple matters. It is an important part of why our group at Healy & Baillie decided to join Blank Rome in the first place, and it has proven to be a great asset to our clients around the world.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF YOUR LEGAL PRACTICE? When I am not working, I love to be on the water racing one-design sailboats in Long Island Sound or puttering around on our runabout. My other true passion is making music with my band Small Craft Warning. Yes, we are on Spotify if you want to check us out!
p – 2026 BLANK ROME LLP
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