Biography

Julia Adams is an active and respected member of the admiralty and energy bar. Her practice focuses on the representation of marine and energy interests, insurers, and insurance brokers. Ms. Adams leads the Firm’s Admiralty and Energy Group and the Hydraulic Fracturing Task Force.

For more than twenty-seven years, Ms. Adams has handled marine and energy litigation, including collision cases, hurricane losses, the defense of personal injury and death actions, contract and lien claims, dock and stevedore liabilities and subrogation matters. Her expertise includes litigation and coverage review of claims arising from onshore and offshore drilling, down hole losses, environmental losses, property claims, business interruption, vessel and dock operations, marine construction and offshore wind facilities. Ms. Adams is often called upon to analyze insurance and indemnity provisions in marine and drilling contracts.

Ms. Adams counsels clients on a wide variety of insurance coverage issues and works with underwriters to develop policy language. She regularly defends carriers in coverage and bad faith litigation and represents brokers in errors and omissions actions. Ms. Adams also has expertise in construction litigation and defense of premises liability and personal injury matters.

Affiliations, Activities and Accomplishments

Ms. Adams served as the briefing attorney to the Honorable Hugh Gibson, Judge, United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division from 1982 to 1984. She is a member of the Fifth Circuit Bar Association, College of the State Bar of Texas, and the Houston Mariners Club. Ms. Adams has been appointed by Chief United States District Court Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa to serve on the Magistrate Judge Judicial Selection Panel for the Southern District of Texas. She is a proctor in the Maritime Law Association of the United States, and member of the planning committee for the Fall 2010 meeting. Ms. Adams is a past-president of the Houston Propeller Club and continues to serve on the board. In 2010, she was named “Propeller Club Person of the Year.” She also serves on the board of International Seafarers Center and the Maritime Gala planning committee and chaired the 2008 and 2009 Maritime Gala. Ms. Adams is a member of the planning committee for the University of Texas Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference and is a trustee of the Houston Maritime Museum, and a member of the board of directors of the Judith Liebenthal Robison Ovarian Cancer Foundation.

Presentations & Publications

Ms. Adams frequently authors and lectures on insurance coverage and maritime law topics. 
Her papers and presentations include:

• “Developments in Insurance Coverage for the Maritime Industry: Claims Trends, Underwriting Considerations, Risk Assessments, Indemnification Provisions, and More,” presented at the Admiralty and Maritime Litigation Forum, Houston (March 29-30, 2012) (Presented with George Boothby, Shawn A. Voyles, Edward F. LeBreton, III and Stephen V. Rible);
• “Shale Gas and Litigation: Who is Suing Who and For What Reason?,” presented at the Shale-Gas Development and Water Issues - Solutions to energy industry water needs for shale-gas development & operation and long-term water resources sustainability symposium, Austin (March 23, 2012);
• “Shale Gas Development: Claims, coverage issues and new wordings,” presented at Sedgwick’s London Seminar Emerging Trends in Casualty Coverage, London (March 8, 2012);
• “Frack to the Future,” presented at the Upstream Energy Risk Management Seminar, Houston, TX (February 23, 2012);
• “Insurance Issues Arising Out of Hydraulic Fracturing Operations,” presented at the Legal, Regulatory & Environmental Challenges of Hydraulic Fracturing Summit (December 8, 2011);
• “Hydraulic Fracturing 101: A Primer for In-House Counsel, EAS Specialists and Their Advisors,” presented at the Legal, Regulatory & Environmental Challenges of Hydraulic Fracturing Summit (December 7, 2011);
• “Insurance Issues Arising Out of Hydraulic Fracturing Operations,” presented at the Legal, Regulatory & Environmental Challenges of Hydraulic Fracturing Summit (December 8, 2011);
• “Hydraulic Fracturing,” co-presented to Sedgwick clients, Bermuda (December 1-2, 2011) (Presentation with George McCall); 
• “Hydraulic Fracturing – Environmental Risks,” co-presented via Live Webcast, Santa Monica (November 15, 2011) (Presentation with Earl Hagström and Anna Shimko); 
• “Hydraulic Fracturing – Developing Exposure & Litigation Issues,” co-presented to Sedgwick clients, Bermuda (October 11,2011) (Presentation with Mark Kendall);
• "Hydraulic Fracturing - Developing Claims and Litigation," Sedgwick's Ninth Annual Hot Topic Seminar for the Bermuda Insurance Market, Bermuda (October 11, 2011);
•  “Law Governing the Development, Construction and Operation of Offshore Wind Energy Facilities,” co-presented at the Offshore Wind Energy Roundtable (TOWER) and Offshore Wind Law (OWL) conference (October 3-4, 2011);
• “Hydraulic Fracturing: Developing Exposure & Coverage Issues,” co-presented to Sedgwick clients, London (June 7-10, 2011) (Presentation with Mark Kendall); 
• “Three Key Onshore & Offshore Energy Issues,” co-presented at the Bermuda Insurance Institute, Hamilton, Bermuda (May 3, 2011) (presentation with George McCall); 
• “Hydraulic Fracturing: Understanding and Managing the Risk,” co-presented to clients, NJ and NY (April 11-12, May 5, 2011) (Presentation with Earl Hagström, Greg Lahr, Martin Eide and Dave Dolendi);
•  “Hydraulic Fracturing – Developing Exposures and Coverage Issues,” presented at Sedgwick’s London Seminar Developing Issues in US/UK Casualty Insurance, London (March 10, 2011); 
• “Products Liability in the Offshore Oil Patch,” presented at the 19th Annual Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference, Houston, TX (November 10, 2010); 
• “Law Governing the Construction and Operation of Offshore Wind Energy Facilities,” presented at the Texas Offshore Wind Energy Conference (TOWER) and Offshore Wind Law (OWL) Conference, Houston, TX (October 22, 2010);
• “Products Liability in Marine and Offshore Markets,” Sedgwick’s Eighth Annual Hot Topics Seminar for the Bermuda Insurance Market, Bermuda (October 13, 2010); 
• “Liability and Coverage Exposures from Property Damage Catastrophe Claims,” given to a Sedgwick client, London (October 6, 2010) (Presentation with Cathy Sugayan, David Dolendi and Ralph Guirgis);
• “Offshore Energy Insurance ― Is Your Wording Keeping Pace with Technology?” Sedgwick’s Seventh Annual Hot Topics Seminar for the Bermuda Insurance Market, Bermuda (October 7, 2009);
• “International Choice of Law,” University of Texas 17th Annual Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference, Houston, TX (October 24, 2008) (co-authored with Monika Moore);
• “Offshore Wind Facilities - What Law Will Apply?” American Wind Energy Association's Windpower 2008 Conference & Exhibition, Houston, TX (June 2008) (co-authored with Shannon Thorne); 
• “Maritime Law: Change of Venue,” Texas Lawyer (December 24, 2007) (co-authored with Shannon Thorne);
• “Law Governing the Construction and Operation of Offshore Wind Energy Facilities” The University of Texas 16th Annual Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference (September 28, 2007) (Presentation with Bradley A. Jackson) (co-authored with Shannon Thorne);
• “Practical Concerns for Seafarers and Homeland Security” The University of Texas 15th Annual Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference (September 29, 2006) (Presentation with Frank Goyner, Robert T. Miller and Robert Ream III); 
• “The Case of the Mauvaise Chance - A Simulation of the Resolution of a Maritime Conflict:  How Technology and Neutral Experts Can Facilitate Resolution” Conference of the Americas - City of Knowledge, Panama City, Panama (October 19, 2005) (Presentation with Charles R. Dunn and Daniel Pipitone); 
• “Has Comparative Fault Swallowed Ryan?  The Future of Implied Contract/Tort Indemnity in Maritime Law,” The University of Texas 12th Annual Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference (September 26, 2003) (co-authored with Diana M. Brockman);
• “Indemnity on the Outer Continental Shelf,” The University of Texas 10th Annual Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference (October 18, 2002) (co-authored with Karen K. Milhollin), published in the Tulane Maritime Law Journal, February 2003; 
• “Key Issues Involved in Effectively Settling a Marine Personal Injury Action,” American Trial Lawyers Association 2002 Annual Convention (July 20-24, 2002) (co-authored with R. Dean Gresham);
• “Contractual Risk Transfer in the Maritime Industry,” University of Texas 9th Annual Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference (September 2, 2000) (co-authored with R. Dean Gresham);
• “Ethical Advice Attorneys Can Give Their Clients and Employees and Unethical Advice They  Can’t (Shouldn't) Give,” South Texas College of Law, Preventing and Responding to the Maritime Emergency (July 21, 2000) (co-authored with Karen K. Milhollin); 
• “Women in Law Firm Leadership:  Cooperative and Successful Client Development,” Texas Women Lawyers (July 22, 1999) (Presented with Jill Schaar of Locke, Liddell & Sapp, L.L.P.);
• “Marine Employers Liability,” Texas Association of Defense Counsel (April 29, 1999); 
• “Recent Developments in Legislation and in Case Law in the U.S. Supreme Court and the Fifth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits and in Maritime Arbitration Cases,” Tulane New Orleans Maritime Seminar (January 20-21, 1999); 
• “Offshore Employers’ Liability:  The Boundaries among LHWCA and Other Remedies (Jones Act, General Maritime Law and State Workers' Compensation Acts),” University of Texas Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference (September 18, 1998); 
• “Maritime Women,” Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association International Conference (September 16-18, 1998); 
• “Legal Advice:  When to Ask, What to Expect,” Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association International Conference (September 16-18, 1998); 
• “Competitiveness of U.S. Ports in the World Marketplace,” WISTA USA, Inc. Annual Breakfast Panel Discussion (April 30, 1998); 
• “Tort Liability of Dual Capacity Employers Under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Acts,” University of Texas Admiralty and Maritime Law Conference (September 19, 1997); 
• “US LHWCA and Dual Capacity,” Houston Institute of Marine Underwriters Risk Seminar (May 21, 1997); 
• “Maritime Toxic Torts - Developments Since Castorina v. Lykes Bros. B.S., Inc.,” State Bar of Texas Admiralty and Maritime Law Course (March 14-15, 1996); 
• “The Effect of an Insured’s Bankruptcy on Indemnity and Coverage:  Can a Plaintiff Recover from a Defendant in Bankruptcy Who is Insured by an Indemnity Policy?,” State Bar of Texas Admiralty and Maritime Law Course (April 7-8, 1994); 
• “Handling Longshore Claims,” State Bar of Texas Admiralty and Maritime Law Course (October 17-18, 1991); 
• “Wages, Wage Loss and Alternative Employment,” Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act Seminar (September 21-22, 1989) (co-authored with Steve L. Roberts).