About Samuel Blatchley

Samuel P. Blatchley represents clients in litigation and transactional matters with a focus on admiralty and maritime law. He represents vessel owners and operators, charterers, construction and dredging firms, freight forwarders, inland carriers, lenders, marina operators, marine surveyors, marine trades providers, stevedores, and terminal operators in maritime litigation, as well as in marine-related commercial and corporate transactions. 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, and insurance coverage disputes. He also handles maritime financing, purchase and charter, documentation, and registration matters in connection with both commercial vessels and private yachts. Prior to joining Holbrook & Murphy, Sam was a partner and Chair of the Admiralty and Maritime Group at a leading New England law 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. 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, First Circuit; the U.S. District Court, Connecticut; the U.S. District Court, Massachusetts; the U.S. District Court, Maine; and the U.S. District Court, Rhode Island. 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, and serves as the Chairman of the Association’s Practice and Procedure Committee. He was also designated as a Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star, Transportation and Maritime Law in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.