John F. Fay

Mr. Fay practices in the areas of admiralty and maritime, transportation, contracts and insurance coverage. He has been handling litigation matters for U.S. and international clients since 1983. He has also assisted clients with the preparation of contracts for the carriage of goods, the chartering of vessels, and the fleeting and towage of barges and other floating equipment, and with transactions involving the sale, purchase, and documentation of vessels. Prior to his legal training, Mr. Fay sailed as an unlicensed seaman on U.S. merchant vessels for several harbor-towing companies, including McAllister Brothers Towing Company and Curtis Bay Towing Company in Philadelphia, and for the ocean carrier Sealand Services, Inc.

Mr. Fay’s practice includes the prosecution and defense of cargo damage claims, vessel collisions, charter party disputes, maritime salvage and general average claims, maritime lien claims, commercial disputes between vessel owners and suppliers, pollution incidents, the defense of personal injury claims, insurance coverage disputes, and the prosecution and defense of business interruption and economic losses resulting from damage to terminals, docks, oil and gas production wells, and pipelines. He also represents clients in non-maritime contract disputes, casualty claims, and violations of Louisiana’s Public Bid Laws.

Mr. Fay represents clients before a variety of legal tribunals, including the state and federal trial and appellate courts of Louisiana, federal trial courts in Texas, Florida, Illinois, New York, Connecticut, and Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court, arbitrations in New York and London, and formal investigative hearings before the United States Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board.

In 2007, Louisiana Governor, Kathleen Blanco, appointed Mr. Fay to a five-year term on the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. In 2010 Mr. Fay was appointed Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. The regional Board governs port operations in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard Parishes.

In 2011 Mr. Fay was appointed by the Danish Foreign Ministry Office to represent the Kingdom of Denmark as the Royal Danish Consulate in New Orleans. 

In 2012, Louisiana Governor, Bobby Jindal, appointed Mr. Fay to the Louisiana Board of International Commerce. This state board works to maintain and develop international trade within Louisiana.

 
 

Contact

Practice Areas

  • Admiralty & Maritime Transportation

  • Maritime Contract

  • Commercial Contracts and Disputes

  • Personal Injury Claims

  • Property Damage Claims

  • Qualified Mediator, State of Louisiana

Jurisdictions

  • Louisiana

  • United States Federal Courts

  • International Maritime Arbitration Courts

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, Tulane University School of Law, 1983

  • B.S., Economics, B.A. History, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, 1979

Professional and Civic Activities and Honors

Consul
The Kingdom of Denmark
Royal Danish Consulate, New Orleans

Proctor in Admiralty
Maritime Law Association

Member of the Board
Commissioner on the Louisiana Board of International Commerce, Appointed in October 2012, reappointed April of 2014-Present.  Serving on the Cargo Task Force sub-committee.

Member of the Board
Board of Commissioners for the Port of New Orleans, 2007-2011
Chairman of the Board, 2010 - 2011

Member of the Board
New Orleans Board of Trade
President New Orleans Board of Trade, 2012-2013

Louisiana State Assistant Bar Examiner  - Constitutional Law

Member
American Bar Association
Louisiana State Bar Association

Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans 
Member of the Vestry 2012
Junior Warden 2014-Present

Trinity Episcopal School Board 2004-2009