Blank Rome Welcomes Maritime Partner Luke Reid

Luke M. Reid has joined Blank Rome as a partner in the firm’s Maritime group and as a member of the Transportation industry team in the Boston office. A former U.S. Coast Guard officer, Reid advises clients in connection with all aspects of international and domestic maritime regulatory compliance, as well as representing maritime clients in connection with government investigations, criminal and civil litigation, defense of maritime regulatory enforcement actions, environmental enforcement defense, and international law. He joins Blank Rome from K&L Gates.

Blank Rome established its Boston office on May 1 with the addition of a 25-attorney team of leading corporate, finance, mergers and acquisitions, tax, litigation, and cannabis practices, and added three corporate and finance attorneys to the team last week.

"We are excited to welcome Luke, a former U.S. Coast Guard commander and attorney, to our growing Boston office and national maritime practice,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “Luke’s prior Coast Guard service in various operational, engineering, and legal roles complements our Maritime team's robust capabilities. With his unique insights into catastrophic maritime casualty incidents and government investigations, he will be a tremendous resource for our practice, which is already the largest and most comprehensive in the United States and a leader in maritime incident response, investigations, and litigation. His addition underscores our commitment to providing unparalleled counsel to our clients in the maritime industry."

“Our goal for the Boston office is to grow in ways that align with the needs of our clients and supports the firm’s strategy,” added Josef B. Volman, Partner and Boston office Co-Chair. “To that end, we are thrilled to welcome Luke, a top maritime attorney, to our Boston team. Luke’s addition not only brings exceptional experience to our Maritime group, but also greatly enhances the range of services we offer locally.”

Reid has represented numerous maritime corporations and individuals in a variety of civil and criminal matters, including matters before the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other government enforcement and regulatory agencies. Since entering private practice in 2012, he has represented clients in some of the most significant marine casualties to have occurred under U.S. jurisdiction. He has served in leading roles representing clients in connection with U.S. Coast Guard Marine Boards of Investigation, National Transportation Safety Board investigations, and related criminal investigations and civil litigation.  

“Maritime clients around the globe seek our counsel in a variety of areas, including pollution-related incidents, vessel casualties, regulatory issues, investigations, and more. With Luke’s experience and skillset, we now have even greater depth to help the maritime industry through a unique combination of regulatory, legislative, defense, and commercial capabilities,” said Jeanne M. Grasso, Partner and Co-Chair of the Maritime group.
“Furthermore, Boston is an important hub for the maritime industry. Luke’s addition to our Boston office and his ability to provide boots on the ground support locally, nationally, and globally will be of great benefit to our clients.”

“Blank Rome is an iconic brand in the international and domestic maritime sector,” Reid said. “The firm’s Maritime group has deep ‘Coast Guard roots’ spanning more than four decades, and its first-class global reputation was built and sustained by many of the terrific professionals who make up the group today. I know the firm and many of its attorneys quite well, in some cases having worked in collaboration with them on behalf of maritime clients, and in some cases on the other side of the table. The firm’s history, reputation for excellence, and collaborative culture and platform—all of which I have seen up close—were all factors in my decision to join the firm. And with Blank Rome’s expansion with its new Boston office, this is a natural fit for me. I’m thrilled to join the team and looking forward to tackling the most challenging, complex, and cutting-edge legal, business, and regulatory issues facing the maritime industry now and into the future.”

While on active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard, Reid served as a military prosecutor, defense counsel, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, investigating and litigating a wide variety of criminal matters. He participated in numerous complex civil and criminal investigations of individuals and corporations for environmental crimes, seaman's manslaughter, fraud, and obstruction of justice. While an active-duty attorney, he also led numerous missions in more than 20 European, African, and Asian nations in furtherance of various U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives. These missions included providing overseas training and assistance to foreign nations in rule of law development, combating transnational crime, counter-piracy operations, drug and human smuggling interdiction, the legal aspects of counterterrorism, border security, anti-corruption, human rights, and war crimes.

Reid earned his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, holds advanced degrees in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy.