Maritime

Stikeman Elliott has an extensive maritime law practice, including importation, purchase and sale, construction, registration, finance, litigation/arbitration, charter parties, pollution and marine insurance. The members of this practice group have special knowledge of federal regulatory matters as well as IMO, CMI, UNCTAD, UNCITRAL and International Oil Pollution Fund matters. It has also experience in dealing with Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard. It represents a number of Canada's leading shipowners, in the dry/wet bulk and container trades, and has long standing relationships with the leading U.K. and U.S. law firms in this sector.

Because of Montreal's longstanding history as a major international port and gateway to the St. Lawrence Seaway, our maritime law practice has historically been based in Montréal.

For many years, our lawyers have acted on behalf of domestic and international shipowners, in connection variously with the financing, purchasing, importing, chartering and other related transactions of vessels, as well as in connection with the flag registration of such vessels throughout the world. We have also acted for several financial institutions in the granting of construction and acquisition credit facilities to various borrowers.

Among our individual Maritime Group:

• Vincent Prager has been recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2008 as a leading practitioner "Consistently Recommended" in the area of shipping and maritime law. He also received a raft of nominations from both clients and peers in the Who's Who Legal, The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers (Shipping and Maritime), 2009 edition.
• Peter Cullen has been recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2009 as a leading practitioner "Most Frequently Recommended" (the highest rating) in the area of shipping and maritime law. He is included in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada in the areas of Alternative Dispute Resolution, International Arbitration and Maritime Law and the Who's Who Legal, The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers in the area of Shipping & Maritime. He is an Honorary Life Member of the Canadian Maritime Law Association (President, 2003-2005 and member of the Board of Directors 1998-2007). In addition, he was the principal attorney engaged by Marine Atlantic and its project team in implementing Marine Atlantic's agreed charter terms in respect of the "ATLANTIC VISION".

Aviation

At Stikeman Elliott, our Aviation Law practice provides strategic advice and legal service in all matters related to the industry throughout Canada and internationally, with a particular focus on aviation and aircraft financing matters. Our valued clients include airlines, financial institutions, financiers, underwriters, lessors, airport operators, aircraft and other equipment manufacturers, governments, corporate users and fixed base operators. The firm regularly acts in financing, commercial and transactional matters for Canadian based multinational companies including Air Canada and CAE Inc. We have also acted for Air Canada on its restructuring - one of the largest in Canadian history.

Our lawyers have extensive experience relating to all aspects of aircraft and infrastructure financing and transactions coupled with expertise in international commercial and charter aviation and aerospace law, including regulatory issues.

The Aviation practice group is supported by our broad team of practitioners in other related areas including banking, corporate and commercial law, tax, labour relations and pensions, environment and litigation.

Our practice offers considerable strength in the key markets of Montréal and Toronto. The practice is led in Montréal by Donald Bunker, Canada's leading authority on aviation law and aerospace finance matters. Mr. Bunker has published numerous books and articles with respect to aerospace finance including The Law of Aerospace Finance in Canada published by McGill, and International Aircraft Financing published by IATA. Prior to joining Stikeman Elliott, Mr. Bunker founded a firm in Dubai, which continues as one of the world's leading aviation legal firms. In Toronto, partner Kenton Rein has extensive experience advising in matters respecting financing and other issues relating to aircraft and aviation related equipment.

Stikeman Elliott's Aviation practice group has expertise in the following fields:

Freight forwarding

We represent some of the major air and sea freight forwarders such as Panalpina Inc., Affiliated Customs Brokers, Kuehne & Nagel and MSAS Cargo.

Insurance matters

We have a depth of expertise in all commercial insurance matters, including open cargo, all risk property, errors and omissions, directors and officers, composite risks, excess, umbrella, reinsurance and other specialty risks.

International Trade

We have expertise with all aspects of international sales, documentary credit and transportation documentation.

Products liability

We have and are handling cases involving death and catastrophic injuries on behalf of manufacturers and their insurers in relation to a range of products such as : cranes, life rafts, personal water crafts, snowmobiles and ATVs, explosives, etc.

Death and personal injury claims

We act for Plaintiffs in death and personal injury claims, as well as in defence for P&I Clubs and Insurers.

Multi-jurisdictional litigation

We are experienced in directing and coordinating foreign litigation on behalf of Canadian clients and multi-jurisdictional disputes.