In all of our transportation work, but nowhere more so than in the intermodal and logistics space, Cozen O’Connor’s clients benefit from the fact that we are true industry lawyers. Cargo does not travel exclusively by ship or truck; it travels via vast multi-carrier transportation networks in which participants’ rights and responsibilities are often contingent or overlapping. Our intermodal and logistics team harnesses Cozen O’Connor’s collective maritime, aviation, and surface transport experience to help achieve client goals and to seamlessly get goods from Point A to Point B.
Cozen O’Connor represents a broad range of transportation clients on intermodal and logistics matters, including international ocean carriers, cargo airlines, domestic trucking and motor broker companies, trade associations, equipment pools, logistics providers, and shippers.
We negotiate contracts between maritime carriers, inland carriers, third-party logistics providers and/or transportation brokers. In addition to agreements for the movement of cargo, we handle equipment leasing and acquisition, equipment pooling arrangements, and intermodal equipment interchange. We also counsel clients on coverage and indemnity matters, licensing and registration, and agreements with ports, terminals, depots, and container yards.
Underlying every negotiation is a thorough understanding of the applicable laws and regulations. Cozen O’Connor’s transportation group is internationally known for its regulatory capabilities. We routinely advise clients about regulations directly governing intermodal transport, including those administered by the Federal Maritime Commission, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Surface Transportation Board, and other federal and state agencies. We also advise clients on how regulations differ among various modes of transportation and help design efficient and comprehensive compliance strategies. Our attorneys have been integrally involved in drafting many of the statutes and regulations that govern intermodal transport, among them the Shipping Act, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, and the federal roadability laws (SAFETEA-LU).
When disputes arise from intermodal transportation, Cozen O’Connor is ideally positioned to respond. The firm brings both deep knowledge of transportation law and decades of experience with complex litigation. Firm attorneys often represent clients in high-stakes commercial disputes as well as in government inquiries and enforcement proceedings.