K&L Gates Bolsters Maritime Practice With Addition of Former US Navy Officer in New York

New York – Global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes Tanner Honea, a lawyer and former commissioned officer in the US Navy, as of counsel in its Maritime practice. Honea joins the firm’s New York office from Freehill Hogan & Mahar LLP.

Honea focuses his legal practice on a host of matters related to maritime law. In particular, Honea has considerable experience with cases involving major maritime casualties including fires, collisions, oil spills, groundings, and cargo container stack collapse. He has also defended clients concerning regulatory violations, environmental pollution, charterparty disputes and arbitration, cargo damage, and vessel arrests.

Before embarking on his legal career, Honea served as a commissioned officer in the US Navy, where he was stationed aboard a guided missile destroyer and various patrol craft. He qualified as both a deck and engineering watch officer and as the ship’s principal navigator. Honea led a team of 11 sailors responsible for the operation and maintenance of the destroyer’s missile system and later oversaw patrol boat operations during two six-month deployments in the Persian Gulf, leading a maritime boarding party.

“Tanner’s arrival marks an exciting development for our firm. His hands-on experience and proven leadership in the US Navy bring a valuable perspective to our clients facing maritime challenges,” said John Crossley, leader of K&L Gates’ global Energy, Infrastructure, and Resources practice. “Beyond the maritime sector, Tanner’s operational insight and strategic approach will positively influence our Energy practice as a whole, enhancing our ability to deliver practical, forward-thinking counsel to clients navigating complex issues across the energy and infrastructure landscape.”

John Bicks, managing partner of K&L Gates’ New York office, stated: “Tanner’s arrival further strengthens our Maritime practice across our global platform. His legal career and operational experience in the US Navy—whether guiding teams through complex litigation or leading demanding deployments—align with our commitment to delivering practical, strategic counsel to clients worldwide. We look forward to the contributions Tanner will make as we continue to serve the maritime industry on an international scale.”

Honea’s arrival closely follows the additions of Dr. Alexis Gutierrez and Michael Heard Snow, whose experience with the US Department of Commerce's National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration also enhance the firm’s internationally focused maritime law capabilities.

K&L Gates offers the US and international maritime industry comprehensive legal, transactional, legislative, and regulatory capabilities. The lawyers’ combined knowledge and experience, along with the firm’s global presence, enables the Maritime group to assist clients seamlessly with their legal service needs, including, among others, corporate, vessel finance, trading activities, insurance coverage issues, charter parties, cargo claims, casualty, admiralty, ship building, and Jones Act issues.