Vincent M. DeOrchis

• New York
• Supreme Court of the United States

• Appointed to assist the U.S. Department of State in respect to negotiations in UNCITRAL regarding the “Rotterdam Rules Convention.”
• Lord & Taylor v. Zim Integrated Shipping Services, 13 Civ. 3478 (SDNY). (Defense of Act of God upheld in a case involving Hurricane Sandy.)
• Lead counsel, In the Matter of Rationis Enterprises Inc.– MSC CARLA, 325 F. Supp. 2d 318 (SDNY). (Limitation of Liability proceeding and subsequent indemnity case against Korean shipbuilder for a vessel that broke in half at sea.)
• Bally, Inc. v. M/V ZIM AMERICA, 22 F.3d 65 (2d Cir. 1994). (New law regarding the burden on a cargo owner to prove that the missing weight of cargo exists at the time of delivery from a carrier.)
• O’Connell Machinery Co. v. M/V AMERICANA, 797 F.2d 1130 (2d Cir. 1980).(Peril of the Sea defense upheld for a container that fell during a storm, and an arrest proceeding vacated due to sovereign immunity of a ship owner only partly owned by a foreign government.)

• Speaker, “Hot Topics: what’s new in the sectors?” International Bar Association’s Maritime and Transport Law Conference: Shipping, energy and commodities – Legal challenges in offshore, ports and sea carriage, June 2017
• Moderator, “Admiralty & Maritime Claims & Litigation,” American Conference Institute’s Annual Forum, January 2016
• Speaker, “A Witches’ Brew of Bananas and Oil, Naphtha and Crude, brings Hurricanes and Bankruptcy and Low- Sulfur Fuel: Current Trends in U.S. Maritime Law,” International Maritime Law Seminar, October 2015
• Organizer and Moderator, International Maritime Law Seminar
• Speaker, “Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards in the United States,” International Maritime Law Seminar, September 2012
• Speaker, “Where Have Settlements Gone? The Settlement Scene as Viewed From the 19th Floor Above Manhattan,” International Maritime Law Seminar, October 2011
• Speaker, “Carriage of Goods,” International Legal Training (ILT) Conference, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, October 2011
• Speaker, “Management of Large Casualties: Practical Thoughts and Suggestions,” International London Seminar, October 2010
• Speaker, “The Rotterdam Rules: Rough Seas or Smooth Sailing Ahead?” IBA Vancouver, October 2010
• Speaker, “UNCITRAL and the Rotterdam Rules: A Change in the Sea for Carriage of Goods,” Liberty International Underwriters, August 2010
• Speaker, “Reefer Containers: A New Generation But Still Encountering Problems,” Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) Inc., March 2010
• Speaker, “Applying The Rotterdam Rules: A Comparison of Maritime Case Law Under COGSA and the Rotterdam Rules,” Maritime Law Association Fall Meeting, November 2009
• Speaker, “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going – A Carrier’s Tough Job in a Tough Economy,” International London Seminar, October 2009
• Speaker, “Analysis of the Rotterdam Rules, Ministry of Justice,” November 2008
• Speaker, “Rule B Attachments and Rule C Arrest: A Side-By-Side Comparison,” Maritime Bar Association, October 2008
• Speaker, “Discussion of Punitive Damages in Maritime Law,” Finnish Maritime Law Society, March 2008
• Speaker, “Arrest of Vessels,” International London Seminar, November 2007
• Speaker, “Has The Time Come For Anonymous Cargo To Come Out Of The Box?” Iberio Americano Institute, November 2007
• Speaker, “Third Party Practice Under United States Law,” International London Seminar, October 2006

• Author, “The Pilot Fish,” Trimark Press, 2021
• Author, “Devil’s Eye,” Trimark Press, 2020
• Author, “Get Ready to Confront the Force (Majeure),” March 2020
• Quoted, “Left flat by abandoned tires,” American Shipper, May 2016
• Quoted, “US imports set to face little VGM scrutiny from Coast Guard,” The Journal of Commerce, April 2016
• Author, “Abandonment of cargo is no defense to ocean freight owed,” February 2016
• Author, “A Young Man Sent to Sea,” Trimark Press, 2016
• Quoted, “TOTE seeks exoneration or limitation of liability in El Faro sinking,” American Shipper, November 2015
• Quoted, “Judge Says Terminal Not Liable for Sandy-Soaked Sweaters,” New York Law Journal, June 2015
• Author, “Validation Principle May Increase Number of Future Arbitrations,” MEALEY’S International Arbitration Report, May 2014
• Author, “Party is Sanctioned for Destruction of Electronic Documents After Receiving a Claim,” Signals Newsletter, April 2014
• Mentioned, “ICC Issues Award For Sweeteners Plus In Dispute Over $7 Million Escrow,” MEALEY’S International Arbitration Report, March 2013
• Co-Author, “Negotiation – An Attorney’s Manual and Inside the Minds: Founding a Law Firm”

• Selected to The Best Lawyers in America© – Admiralty and Maritime Law list in 2006-2025. The Best Lawyers in America© list is issued by Best Lawyers and a description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey or the highest court of any other state.
• Honoree, Who’s Who Legal, Shipping & Maritime, 2010 and 2015
• Selected to the Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers Guide, Transportation: Shipping: Litigation in 2009 and 2017-2024. The award is issued by Chambers USA and a description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey or the highest court of any other state.
• Selected to the New York Super Lawyers list in 2011-2023 and awarded Metro Editions, The Annual List – The Top Attorneys in the New York Metro Area. These awards are issued by Thomson Reuters and a description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey or the highest court of any other state.
• Selected to the New York Super Lawyers Metro Edition, Article – Sea Change, How Vincent DeOrchis Helped Update 80-Year Old Maritime Law in 2010. This award is issued by Thomson Reuters and a description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey or the highest court of any other state.
• Martindale-Hubbell “AV” Rated. The “AV” rating is issued by Martindale-Hubbell and a description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey or the highest court of any other state.
• Nominated by GlobalLawExperts for the position of Legal Adviser for Maritime Law in America, September 2011

• Editorial Advisory Board Member, Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy
• Titulary Member, Comitè Maritime International (CMI)
• Member, Italian American Bar Association
• Former Member of Board of Directors, Maritime Law Association of the United States
  • Former Chairman of the Committee on Carriage of Goods
  • Former Vice Chair of the Committee on Maritime Fraud
• Former Member of Board of Directors, New York Maritime, Inc. (NYMAR)
• Former Briefing Judge, Judge John R. Brown National Moot Court Competition
• Visiting Professor, John Simms Distinguished Admiralty Practitioner in Residence, Tulane University (2006)

Law School

• Fordham University School of Law

Undergraduate School

• Fordham University