A professional who specializes in law applicable to matters occurring on inland navigable waters or on high seas. Responsibilities include:

• Conducts lawsuits in matters involving ship personnel, collisions, matters of cargo, and damage to objects by vessels.
• Draws legal documents, including charter parties, applications for registry of vessels under flags of a particular country, and bills of sale for vessels.
• Determines law applicable by study of the Constitution, statutes, previous decisions, and regulations.
• Advises clients as to advisability of prosecuting and defending law suits, or as to legal rights and obligations in other matters.