William (Bill) Milliken focuses his practice in admiralty and maritime law, including insured and non-insured matters. He handles personal injury matters for the industry and has handled issues including passengers, crew, longshoremen, repairers, and shoreside workers. He also handles property damage and loss, hull losses, collisions, environmental matters, various marine commercial matters, including charter party and other contractual disputes. He also handles administrative penalties and insurance coverage issues.

He also handles general commercial, litigation and transactional issues for clients. His practice also includes drafting bills of lading, charter parties, agency agreements, passenger contracts, employment contracts, leases, and other commercial agreements. He defends shipowners/operators/ insurers with respect to a variety of natural resource claims including damage to coral reefs, sea grass, and damages arising from oil spills and waste discharges. He is also frequently called upon to supervise litigation outside the State of Florida; in the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

His clients include insurers, corporations, and individuals in or related to the maritime industry. He represents domestic and foreign insurers which include hull and machinery underwriters, protection and indemnity clubs, fixed premium facilities, charterers liability insurers, cargo insurers, yacht underwriters, marine operators/ship repairers insurers. He has represented ship owners, ship operators, ship managers, charterers, terminal operators, recovery agents, and overseas law firms.

Professional Associations and Organizations:

  • The Florida Bar (Admiralty Law Committee, Past Chairman)
  • Miami-Dade County Bar
  • Hillsborough County Bar
  • The American Bar Association (Section on Litigation and Section on Tort and Insurance Practice)
  • The Federal Bar
  • Maritime Law Association of the United States (Proctor Committee, Insurance Committee, Cruise and Passenger Ship Committee)
  • Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute (Past Director)
  • Florida Defense Lawyers Association
  • The Defense Research Institute

Awards/Recognition:

  • AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Super Lawyers – leading American Attorney since 1995 in Admiralty and Maritime Law, and Personal Injury Defense Law since 2008.
  • Best Lawyers in America – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Publications:

  • Author, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death of Passengers Chapter, Maritime Law and Practice (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Editions)
  • Co-author, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Chapter, Maritime Law and Practice Manual (1st and 2nd Editions)
  • Board of Editors, Southern District Digest (Past Chairman)
  • Ethics: The Tripartite Relationship Among the Insurer, the Insured, and the Attorney, 2004, 11.1-22, SEALI

Speaker:

Mr. Milliken is a frequent lecturer to various groups, including attorney associations, claims organizations, and underwriters on a variety of topics. He speaks on subjects such as personal injury defense, crew defense, passenger defense, longshore defense, maintenance and cure, cruise ship issues, insurance issues inclusive of bad faith and the ethical obligation of defense attorneys appointed by underwriters, marina operator’s liabilities, and the carriage of goods by sea.