The unfold waters that surround the comforting constancy of the continents are considered by many to be brawny, bountiful, and unpredictable. Seas and oceans have their own alone set of commerce, issues, and visitors—from oil drillers and fishermen to recreational boaters and pirates—and thus are governed by highly specialized maritime law. Houston lawyer Arthur Schechter knows this code well, having represented the oceangoing for 50 years. On April 27, 2014, Schechter—who is a partner in Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris—celebrated this career milestone, which makes him one of the longest rehearse maritime attorneys in U.S. history, according to a instruction by his firm .besides referred to as admiralty jurisprudence, nautical law is complex, not widely taught in american law schools, and known by few U.S. attorneys. It covers matters related to ship, seafaring, policy, canals, refreshment, and more. Maritime law besides provides that ocean vessels are under the legal jurisdiction of the area whose flag they are flying based on a substantial kinship.
Read more: A Man Quotes Maritime Law To Avoid Ticket
Although Schechter did not set out to rehearse in this area while a scholar at the University of Texas School of Law, nautical law soon found him. He worked with maritime clients, learning the intricate legal system surrounding diverse british labour party and employment benefits—such as workers compensation—and how these differed for longshoremen versus deep-water seamen, such as off prop up workers who were injured in alien waters while working for american companies.
Over the past five decades, Schechter said that the practice of maritime law has, in certain ways, changed well, including a decrease sense of collegiality. “ There have besides been some substantive legal changes, ” he said.
still, Schechter has continued to enjoy helping people, which he said is the function of the law. Among his past clients are the National Maritime Union, individual alien mariner, the indian Seaman ’ s Union, and the Pakistani Seaman ’ s Union. “ The rehearse of maritime jurisprudence, ” said Schechter, “ has been extraordinary as it has permitted me to handle cases arising all over the world and to work with many unlike social classes of plaintiffs who were besides, in many instances, speakers of languages foreign to us and who suffered injury and price in environments foreign to us. The cases and the clients were always fascinating and frequently humorous because of other cultural differences. I can honestly say that I loved the practice and felt that, no matter what kind of floor was heard on a given day, human nature would always provide some surprise just angstrom soon as I became convert that I had ‘ heard it all. ’ ”
