Have you ever heard of a maritime attorney? These are lawyers who are involved with transactions regarding pleasure boats, yachts, and other types of large marine vessels, that are rife with challenges. This can include taxes, regulatory documentation, financing, ownership structure, and insurance. Here at Irwin Law, we are here for you, Fort Lauderdale. We are experts on maritime law. We want to make sure you have representation out in the open water.
Who Are We?
Irwin Law Firm is a full-service law firm with an entire practice devoted to law and the transactions and contracts associated with various marine vessels.
Our ability to harness the talents of individual attorneys from various practice groups and to collectively focus their efforts toward achieving each client’s goals is an invaluable asset. Our law group works closely with lawyers from many of the firm’s other practice groups to develop integrated strategies and solutions to the challenges at hand.
Maritime Law Practices We Cover
- Purchases and Sales
- We represent both buyers and sellers of yachts that are residents of multiple countries. We assist the owners in every aspect of yacht ownership. We can also introduce purchasers and their brokers to prospective lenders. We will work with a documentation service of the owner’s choice or recommend documentation services, as needed.
- Ownership and Registration
- The firm advises yacht owners in how to take title to a vessel and where to register and “flag” the vessel. In addition to registering vessels in the United States, we assist owners in forming an entity in offshore tax havens to take title to the vessel and register the vessel in that country or another country of the owner’s choosing.
- Tax Planning
- The firm has experience in advising owners on the various tax issues affecting yacht ownership. These include the sales and use tax considerations of various states, customer taxes, second home interest deductions, suitability issues, capital gains tax concerns, charitable donation options, ownership structures, both domestic and foreign, the international value-added tax, and U S. income tax depreciation and like-kind exchanges of vessels
- Lending
- The firm has experience in representing lenders and owners in lending transactions. The firm acts as counsel for several major lenders, including one of the primary lenders in the megayacht market.
- Foreclosures/Repossessions/Liens
- We have represented lenders in foreclosing and repossessing vessels registered in the US and foreign jurisdictions. We have assisted lenders in locating and seizing vessels located in foreign countries. We also advise lenders in strategies to maximize the resale value of repossessed vessels in conjunction with yacht brokers with which the firm has a relationship. We also assist lenders, yacht owners, and brokers in connection with asserting enforcing and defending maritime liens against vessels.
- New Construction and Renovations
- We assist owners in structuring transactions with shipyards for new builds as well as renovations. We assist the owner in structuring the contract with the yard as well as assisting the owner’s lender in obtaining a satisfactory lien position during the construction phase.
- Broker Representation
- The firm has substantial experience in brokerage commission disputes involving private yacht owners, yacht brokers, and yacht builders/shipyards. The firm represents owners and brokers in all aspects of commission disputes, in both transactional matters and litigation.
- Chartering
- We advise owners in the various aspects of yacht chartering. This includes drafting charter agreements, assisting the owner in selecting a broker to solicit charters, crew issues, and registry selection to benefit the desired charter activities and advising the owner on the tax issues and advantages to chartering.
- Business Side of Yacht Ownership
- Operating a large yacht is like operating a small business. The firm has experience in the various agreements and business issues that come up in operating a large yacht. This includes employment issues in hiring a crew, including employment agreements with captains, management agreements, employment tax issues, and immigration issues.
- Charitable Donation Programs/Foundations
- The firm has advised clients on all aspects of yacht charitable donation programs, including creating the charitable organization, structuring the documentation, advising charities on the federal tax and state law issues associated with vessel donation programs and representing donors and purchasers of vessels from such charities.
Call Us Today
We are your best resource when it comes to maritime law. At Irwin Law Firm we are experts. You can trust our maritime attorney. Get a chance to meet the best maritime attorney in the state! Call or visit us today to get more information. We are located at 205 W. Davie Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315 and can be reached at our office number (954) 775-2301.