With over twenty years of legal experience, William Fennell focuses on maritime, transportation, and insurance disputes. He predominantly advises insurers on complex claims and coverage disputes under marine cargo, hull, and protection and indemnity policies, inland and motor truck policies, and logistic providers policies, and vigorously pursues subrogated recoveries on their behalf. Beyond insurers, he routinely defends vessel interests in limitation of liability actions and represents cargo interests in contract disputes. He has litigated cases in both federal and state courts, and in maritime forums such as the Society of Maritime Arbitrators. His experience also includes counseling vessel operators and freight forwarders in non-contentious negotiations.
William is a leader of the admiralty bar. He is qualified as a Proctor of Admiralty and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Maritime Law Association of the United States. He acts as the Board liaison and is the past Chair of the Marine Insurance & General Average Committee for the Association. He regularly contributes to the newsletter for the Committee. Additionally, he is an Associate Member of the Association of Average Adjusters of the United States and Canada. William has been recognized by the Best Lawyers in America guide for his admiralty practice.
His recent lectures include Cargo Claims Handling And Recovery Under The Laws Of The United States to an international gathering of transportation professionals, The Elements of Salvage to a domestic recreational vessel insurer, Current Issues With Additional Insureds Under Marine & Transportation Policies, and The Subrogation Attorney’s Role In Early Claim Counseling to a multinational underwriter. He moderated a panel discussion on the Comité Maritime International Guidelines on General Average. William has also authored leading analyses of recent marine insurance case law for the industry, which have been featured in publications such as Benedict’s Maritime Bulletin.
Before entering law, William attended the State University of New York at Albany, where he graduated summa cum laude. He was inducted into the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa. He also studied European law and politics in Scotland, where he lived for a period of time. He returned to New York to work in the legal department of one of the largest multinational insurance companies, where he was encouraged to obtain his law degree. He subsequently attended George Washington University National Law Center, where he graduated magna cum laude. While in law school, he was awarded the Judge Albert H. Grenadier Award and was inducted into the preeminent legal honor society, the Order of Coif. Before entering private practice, William clerked for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
William is admitted to practice in New York.
