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J. Ramón Rivera-Morales

Of Counsel

Mr. Rivera’s practice is dedicated to civil litigation before both Federal and Local courts and administrative agencies, with a strong concentration in commercial and maritime matters. During his 40 years of private practice with the Firm, Mr. Rivera has participated in a wide array of difficult complex cases in maritime, mass tort, product liability distribution/franchise, class actions and fire catastrophes, involving jury trials, appeals and arbitration in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. He has argued numerous appeals, class actions, tax assessments, and appeared in proceedings before the Federal Maritime Commission, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the U.S. Customs Office of Appeals. He has vast experience at all levels of the Puerto Rico and Federal judiciary and administrative agencies.
J. Ramón Rivera-Morales

He was a Staff Member of the Law Review of the University of Puerto Rico. Immediately upon graduation he served as a Law Clerk to Judge Juan R. Torruella of the United States District Court.  He served with the Staff Attorney’s Office of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit at Boston. He has served as an Instructor in Maritime Law at the School of Law of the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico; and serves on the Board of various civic groups and non-profit organizations. He recently served as a Fellow State chair of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Mr. Rivera participated in the NYC Marathon, scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro and was a supernumerary in the Opera de Puerto Rico La Boheme.

Practice Areas

Education

  • University of Puerto Rico Law School
    San Juan, PR
    1977, JD
    Cum Laude
  • St. John’s University
    Collegeville, Minnesota
    1974, BA

Bar Admissions

  • Puerto Rico Bar, 1977
  • United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, 1978
  • Massachusetts Bar, 1981
  • United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, 1982
  • United States Court of Federal Claims, 1982
  • United States Supreme Court, 1985
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 1985
  • United Sates Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1998

Professional Associations & Certifications

  • Fellow – American College of Trial Lawyers
  • Fellow – American Bar Foundation
  • Proctor – Maritime Law Association of the United States
  • Member – Local Rules Committee – Federal Court
  • P&IQ Certificate, a Qualification for the P&I Industry by the International Group of P&I Clubs
  • Federal Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Association for Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy

Representative Cases

  • Cruz-Aponte v. Caribbean Petroleum Corp.

    869 F.Supp.2d 247 (D.P.R. 2012)

    Maritime jurisdiction in refinery explosion.

  • EAC Timberlane v. Pisces Ltd.

    580 F. Supp. 99 (USDC-PR 1983); 745 F.2d 715 (1st Cir.1984)

    Full exoneration from the explosion and total loss of the M/V EVA MARIA.

  • Greenpack of Puerto Rico v. American President Lines

    684 F.3d 20 (1st Cir. 2012)

    Statute of Limitations in cargo claim.

  • Tramp Oil & Marine Ltd v. M/V MERMAID I

    805 F.2d 42 (1st Cir. 1986)

    Maritime liens of assignee vendor.

  • Virgin Islands Maritime v. Puerto Rico Maritime

    978 F.Supp.637 (D.V.I. 1997) aff'd 162 F.3d 1153 (3rd.Cir.1998)

    Vacating Adverse jury verdict.

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