James Mercante

James Mercante heads the admiralty practice group at Gallo Vitucci Klar LLP.

The group specializes in admiralty litigation involving commercial marine and yachts, primarily marine casualties, marine insurance coverage disputes for insurers, policy wordings and admiralty appeals. The marine team handles admiralty cases in the United States and Caribbean.  Mr. Mercante has prevailed in multiple admiralty appeals in several circuits. His $10.0 million recovery in an oil spill case against the United States was a landmark decision at the time for a marine pollution syndicate.

A graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, Mr. Mercante sailed as a Merchant Marine Officer on cargo ships, ocean and harbor tugs.  A maritime attorney for over 35 years, he also serves as President of the New York Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of New York and is a retired Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve

Mr. Mercante has been published in Law Reviews including “Soup to Nuts: NTSB Marine Casualty Investigations in Tulane’s Maritime Law Journal (2019), and Acts of God in Admiralty; He authors the Admiralty Law column for THE NEW YORK LAW JOURNAL, and “Sea Trials” column for LONG ISLAND BOATING WORLD.