Samuel P. Blatchley

Samuel P. Blatchley (Sam), a longstanding member of the New England maritime bar and Proctor in Admiralty, represents clients in litigation and transactional matters with a focus on admiralty and maritime, insurance, fisheries, and environmental law.

He represents vessel owners and operators, insurers, charterers, construction and dredging firms, bunker suppliers, freight forwarders, inland carriers, lenders, marina operators, marine surveyors, marine trades providers, fishing associations, stevedores, and terminal operators in maritime litigation, as well as in marine-related commercial and corporate transactions. He serves as outside general counsel to a marine insurer covering Hull & Machinery and Protection & Indemnity risks.

Sam’s practice covers an array of maritime disputes, including maritime collisions and casualties, charter party and marine services agreements, personal injury and death claims, Admiralty Rules B, C, and D actions, insurance coverage disputes, fisheries disputes and Administrative Procedure Act claims, Endangered Species Act claims, and Marine Mammal Protection Act claims. He also has experience challenging government regulations on behalf of fishermen and serves as general counsel for numerous fishing advocacy groups.

Sam also handles maritime financing, purchase and charter, documentation, and registration matters in connection with both commercial vessels and private yachts. Prior to joining Eckland & Blando, Sam was a partner and Chair of the Admiralty and Maritime Group at a leading New England law firm and worked for an admiralty boutique firm.

Sam received his J.D. and Maritime Law Certificate from Tulane University Law School, where he was the Notes and Comments Editor of the Tulane Maritime Law Journal and received a CALI Award in marine insurance. Before law school, Sam graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in History, with honors, and Political Science, with distinction. While at the University of Wisconsin, Sam was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

Sam is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Rhode Island. He is also admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and D.C. Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Connecticut, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Western District of Wisconsin, and Vermont. Sam was a member of the Ad-Hoc Subcommittee for the District of Rhode Island Local Rules Review Committee, which drafted the Local Admiralty Rules for the District of Rhode Island, effective as of January 15, 2013.

Sam is designated as a Proctor in Admiralty by the Maritime Law Association of the United States, served as the Chairman of the Association’s Practice and Procedure Committee, and currently serves as a member of its Board of Directors. He has been designated as a Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star, Transportation and Maritime Law from 2013-2022, a Massachusetts Super Lawyer, Transportation and Maritime Law for 2023 and 2024, and as one of the 2024 and 2025 Best Lawyers in America® for Admiralty and Maritime Law. Sam was also selected as the Admiralty and Maritime Law “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers® for 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.

• Admiralty & Maritime Law
• Insurance Coverage
• Fisheries Law
• Environmental Law
• Vessel Documentation & Finance
• Claims Against the Government

• Massachusetts
• U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
• Maine
• U.S. District Court District of Maine
• Rhode Island
• U.S. District Court District of Rhode Island
• U.S. District Court District of Connecticut
• New York
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• United States District Court for District of Columbia
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
• United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
• United States District Court for Western District of Wisconson
• United States District Court for the District of Vermont
• United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia

• Tulane Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • J.D.
  • Honors: Maritime Law Certificate
  • Honors: CALI Award, Marine Insurance
• University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
  • B.A., Double Major in History with High Honors and Political Science with Distinction
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Hilldale Award Winner for Honors Thesis on Henry George, The Irish, and the 1886 Mayoral Election of New York City.
• Københavns Universitet – University of Copenhagen
  • Certificate, European & International Commercial Law, European Competition Law, and The Law of Armed Conflicts
• Aegean Institute of the Law of the Sea and Maritime Law – Rhodes, Greece
  • Maritime Personal Injury
  • Maritime Arbitration
  • Carriage of Goods by Sea

• Administrative Law Goes to Sea: Making a Regulatory Challenge Against a Fishery Regulation, Benedicts Maritime Bulletin, Vol. 22, No. 3, Third Quarter 2024
• Substitute Security, In Rem Jurisdiction, Appellate Jurisdiction, and Lozman, Benedicts Maritime Bulletin, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2013

• New England Super Lawyers Rising Star™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2013-2022
• New England Super Lawyer™, Transportation and Maritime Law, 2023-2024
• Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association’s “Legal Keeper” Award, 2023
• Pro Bono Community Championq
• Best Lawyers in America® for Admiralty and Maritime Law, 2024-2025
• Admiralty and Maritime Law “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers® for 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts

• Greater New Orleans Barge Fleeting Association 2024 Meeting, Panel Member

  • Allisions, Collisions and Salvage operations, what do they all have in common?
  • The Maritime Lien and Vessel Seizure – two of the most powerful procedures in the maritime industry – can help or hurt your company?

• The Nuts and Bolts of Vessel/Permit Seizure, Maritime Law Association of the US, 2021

• Maritime Liens & Mortgages (Guest lecture), Suffolk University Law School, 2019
• Client internal presentations on current issues in marine insurance coverage

• Pierce Atwood LLP, Partner/ Chair of Admiralty Group, 2012 to 2017
• Holbrook & Murphy, Partner, 2017 to 2022

• Maritime Law Association of the United States
  • Board of Directors, 2022-present
  • Practice & Procedure Committee
    • Chair, 2019 to 2022.
    • Vice Chair, 2016 to 2019
    • Secretary, 2015 to 2018
    • Young Lawyer Liaison, 2009 to 2015
  • Fisheries Committee
  • Marine Insurance and General Average Committee
• Rhode Island Bar Association, Member, 2010 to Present
• Maine Bar Association, Member, 2017 to Present
• Mariners Club of Massachusetts, Member, 2017 to Present
• Massachusetts Lobsterman’s Association, Member

• Kids in Need of Defense Immigration Cases, 2015 to 2017
• Panel Counsel United States Coast Guard Office of the Chief of Administrative Law Judge, 2015 to Present

• Proctor in Admiralty, Maritime Law Association of the United States

• Sanzo v. Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 2473CV00151 (Mass. Super. Ct. Jan. 8, 2025) (part of team obtaining decision granting Motion to Dismiss and Compel a Jones Act Seaman to arbitrate Jones Act negligence and other claims pursuant to M.G.L. c. 251 where seaman agreed to arbitrate such claims in a crew contract signed before the voyage)
• HC&D, LLC v. Cashman Equipment Corp., Civil Action No. 22-cv-10224-ADB, 2024 WL 4626223) (D. Mass. Oct. 30, 2024) (defeating Motion to Dismiss client’s claims for fraudulent and fraudulent inducement in connection with purchase of a Barge)
• East Farm Commercial Fisheries Center. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, et al., Civil Action No. PC-2024-02162 (R.I. Super. Ct. Aug. 16, 2024) (granting client’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and Administrative Stay enjoining and restraining State and its officials from enforcing or requiring compliance with a regulation requiring federal lobster and Jonah crab. vessels to use a Vessel Monitoring System while engaging in fishing operations)
• In re James R. Silver, Civil Action No. 1:22-cv-11833, (D. Mass. August 9, 2024) (dismissing negligence claims against client at Motion to Dismiss stage in connection with vessel fire allegedly destroying and/or damaging eight buildings, 47 motor vehicles, three houses, 28 boats, and other property)
• Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, Inc. v. National Marine Fisheries Service, Civil Action No. 24-10332-WGY, 2024 WL 2194021 (D. Mass. March 15, 2024 (after Trial, Court held that the Government’s regulation violated Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 and was therefore void and unenforceable through December 31, 2028)
• Denver v. Markel American Insurance Co., Civil Action No. 22-cv-11150-ADB, 2024 WL 1075102 (D. Mass. March 12, 2024) (granting Motion to Dismiss breach of contract claims against insurer client in connection with coverage dispute)
• IncredibleBank v. PROVOCATIVE (O.N. 1248080), in rem, 710 F.Supp.3d 103 (D. RI 2024) (in a Supplemental Admiralty Rule D Action, granting client’s Motion for Final Judgment on the Pleadings asserting client’s rights to possession to Vessel and for interim judgment of liability against Vessel Owner)
• Maine Lobstermen’s Ass’n v. Nat’l Marine Fisheries Serv., 70 F.4th 582 (D.C. Cir. 2023) (holding that the National Marine Fisheries Service violated the Administrative Procedure Act and Endangered Species Act requirement to use reasonably certain outcomes and invalidated the Biological Opinion which would have led to crushing regulations and undoubtedly the loss of many jobs in the lobstering industry, including our clients)
• Crummey v. CMA CGM (AMERICA) LLC, et al, Civil Action No. 23-10621-LTS (D. Mass. Oct. 19, 2023) (dismissing claims for, inter alia, negligence, breach of contract, and violations of M.G.L. c. 93A against client at Motion to Dismiss stage in connection with a dispute arising out of a phishing scam)
• Strahan v. Cosco Container Lines, America, Inc., et al., 22-cv-10722-DJC, 2023 WL 3457905 (D. Mass. May 15, 2023) (granting Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings and finding that the Plaintiff lacked standing to sue our container line client and that his Endangered Species Act claims were entirely implausible)
• Transpac Marine, LLC v. Yachinsure Services, Inc. Civil Action No. —F.Supp.3d—, 2023 WL 1970087 (D. Mass. Feb. 13, 2023) (granting defendant insurer client’s Cross Motion for Summary Judgment on breach of contract and claims under M.G.L. c. 93A and Florida Statute 627.428, denying Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment on breach of contract and claims under M.G.L. c. 93A and Florida Statute 627.428, and holding that Plaintiff breached its promissory warranty under an insurance policy such that there was no coverage for seven figure hull, pollution, and other claims under the Policy)
• MAX v. Cosco Container Lines America, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 1:22-cv-10722-DJC (Nov. 10, 2022) (denying temporary restraining order sought against vessel owner on allegations that client was violating the Endangered Species Act)
• Global Montello Group Corp. v. Seaboard Marine, Ltd., Inc. d/b/a Seaboard Marine, Ltd., Civil Action No. 21-11363-WGY (D. Mass. February 1, 2022) (in Declaratory Judgment Action, granting Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings and declaring that Global’s incorporated by reference Bunker Supply contract governed the relationship of the parties, that Global had no duty to appear or defend Seaboard pursuant to Seaboard’s demand that Global be “vouched in” to London Arbitration commenced by owners against Seaboard as time charterers, and that Seaboard’s vessel damage and loss hire claims were barred by the terms of the Bunker Supply Contract and the maritime economic loss doctrine)
• Atlantic Specialty Insurance Co. v. Karl’s Boat Shop, Inc., 480 F.Supp.3d 322 (D. Mass. 2020) (granting Summary Judgement to client in Declaratory Judgment Action and holding marina policy was maritime contract and that the policy was void under the maritime doctrine of uberrimae fidei and no coverage was provided to cover damage to multiple vessels stored in a barn)
• Cashman Equipment Corp. v. American Marine Corporation, 471 F.Supp.3d 351 (D. Mass. 2020) (granting Summary Judgement to client and enforcing the “knock-for-knock” provision of BIMCO TOWHIRE exculpating client for claimed damages in excess of $1,000,000 during Winter Storm Grayson)
• Global Companies, LLC & others v. HOP Energy, LLC & another, Civil Action No. 16-03347-E, Suffolk Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, October 1, 2019 (denying opposing party’s Motion for Summary Judgment and granting client’s Cross – Motion for Summary for failure to obtain contractually required insurance coverage and resulting in Judgment for client in the amount of $650,598.07 plus interest)
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. v. ATS Specialized, Inc., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 158516 (D. Mass. Aug. 20, 2021) (holding that in a case which arose from substantial damage done to submarine during its transport, plaintiffs sued for breach of contract, and liability under Carmack Amendment, to extent defendants sought to limit entirety of potential liability of client, defendants’ motion was denied as there remained genuine issues of material fact as to total damages suffered by client)
• In re Victory Chimes, Inc., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82660 (D. Me. Apr. 30, 2021) (holding that client was entitled to maintain limitation action under the Limitation Act of 1851 and entering a default against non-answering parties)
• Coastal Marine Management, LLC d/b/a Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina v. Additional Return, LLC, 411 F.Supp.3d 118 (D. Mass. 2019) (granting order that client was entitled to seek unpaid custody costs from mortgagee, that mortgagee was responsible for its pro rata share of custody costs, and that client was entitled to an award of prejudgment interest)
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution v. ATS Specialized, Inc., 2019 WL 1276124 (D. Mass. Mar. 20, 2019) (sustaining client’s objection to Magistrate Judge’s Report & Recommendation and ordering that client’s claims for unfair and deceptive practices in connection with the destruction of the submersible Deep Sea Challenger were not preempted by federal law; allowing client’s claims against Australian government Museum for damage to the submersible Deep Sea Challenger; allowing client’s claims against freight forwarder for damage to the submersible Deep Sea Challenger)
• Coastal Marine Management, LLC d/b/a Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina v. Additional Return, LLC, 2018 WL 6727056 (D. Mass. Dec. 20, 2018) (granting order that client was entitled to the proceeds of the sale of a seized vessel)
• Anderson Trucking Service, Inc. v. Eagle Underwriting Group, Inc., 2018 A.M.C. 2802 (D. Conn. 2018) (dismissing claims against clients under the Carriage of Goods By Sea Act for lack of personal jurisdiction)
• The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. v. Raw Seafoods, Inc., 2017 A.M.C. 1950 (Mass. App. Ct. Apr. 26, 2017) (holding that damage to scallops at processing facility was a covered occurrence under the client’s insurance policy)
• In the matter of L&G Fisheries, LLC, 2015 A.M.C. 2179 (E.D.N.Y. 2015)(holding that client fishing vessel owner was entitled to proceed under the Shipowner’s Limitation of Liability Act and that liability under that Act would be decided before a Judge rather than a jury)
• Summitbridge Credit Investments, III, LLC v. Hunt Marine I, LLC, 2014 WL 55105 (D.R.I. 2014) (holding that client was entitled to a judgment entitling him to take control of a tug company and its assets)