About Valdes Otero

Michelle Otero Valdés  has been engaged in the practice of maritime, admiralty and marine insurance law for over twenty (20) years and is experienced in all facets of civil litigation, with primary emphasis in admiralty and maritime law, including, but not limited to, collisions, allisions, groundings, emergency casualty response, maritime attachments and arrests, marine pollution claims under OPA90 and CLC Conventions, defense of maritime death and injury claims, passenger and crew claims, marine casualty investigations, P&I and FDD matters, H&M claims, claims coverage evaluation, salvage and SCOPIC matters, cargo claims and recoveries, charter party disputes, Marpol and environmental matters, general liability defense, freight forwarders/NVOCC liability claims, and the negotiation and drafting of maritime-related contracts, including marine loan documents, purchase and sale agreements, charter parties, yacht purchase/sale agreements, chartering, and registration of domestic and foreign vessels, shipbuilding contracts, crew agreements, corporate non-compete/non-disclosure agreements and a host of other international commercial transactions and agreements.

Ms. Valdés has been counsel in several high profile cases and, as a previous Account Executive of Thomas Miller Inc. (Miami), Managers for the United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Ltd. and The United Kingdom Freight Demurrage and Defense Association Limited, is recognized for her in-depth knowledge of marine insurance and casualty matters. Ms. Valdés has authored numerous published articles involving marine insurance, coverage topics, international litigation and arbitration, casualty contingency planning and is regularly asked to speak at conferences throughout the world on a variety of topics of interest to the maritime industry.