Spotlight on Carmella R. O’ Hanlon
Iran, the proposed tariff increases, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative(“ USTR”) port fees on Chinese owned or operated vessels.
But despite the major role the maritime industry plays in the world economy, the industry itself is small and incredibly close-knit. I love getting to know colleagues across the world who work in this industry.
CARMELLA R. O’ HANLON Associate
HOW DID YOU GET INTO MARITIME LAW? I have always been interested in foreign policy and international affairs. Coming out of law school, I knew that I wanted to be a litigator and build an international practice.
I started out as a generalist working on a wide range of corporate litigation and government investigation matters. Completely by chance, a significant portion of the cases I worked on were maritime litigation and economic sanctions matters. I found myself immediately gravitating towards both practices, and I realized that they complemented each other well.
WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST INTERESTING ABOUT THE MARITIME INDUSTRY? The maritime industry is the driving force of the world economy. It is significantly influenced by, and in turn exerts substantial influence on, international affairs. This has been made even more evident in the past few years following the impact of the COVID pandemic, the ramp-up of U. S. economic sanctions on Russia and
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU FOLLOWING AT THE MOMENT? I am closely following the increase in sanctions against Iran and Russia, and the recent focus on Venezuela by the Trump Administration. Relatedly, I am following reporting on the various methods dark fleet actors utilize to attempt to evade U. S. sanctions. I am also paying attention to any updates on the U. S.-China relationship and its impact on the suspension of the USTR port fees.
HOW DOES OUR DEEP EXPERIENCE IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY PROVIDE US WITH A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE?
I have seen firsthand that Blank Rome is a one-stop shop for companies in the shipping industry. Our team’ s capabilities cover nearly all aspects of the industry and we have the contacts to get us to the right people when needed. Combined with the strengths of the other practice groups and industry teams at our firm, we are able to handle just about anything that comes our way, which makes us nimble and ready to respond when our clients are faced with crisis situations.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF YOUR LEGAL PRACTICE? I love seeing plays, musicals, and live music. I also enjoy reading, traveling, cooking, and trying new restaurants.
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