The Maritime team at Seward & Kissel LLP continues to advise on a broad array of shipping financing matters, including capital market transactions, securitization, and wider commercial shipping mandates. The group specializes in advising public companies, alongside having extensive experience working with the US Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration on a range of US-flag matters. Keith Billotti is frequently engaged by banks, investors, and money managers, where he provides counsel on listings and wider M&A matters. He leads the team alongside Susanne Burstein, who joined the team from Watson Farley & Williams (New York) LLP in July 2025. Focusing on corporate securities, Edward S Horton is well-versed in advising domestic and international issuers and underwriters. Rounding out the team are Madison Pesce and Michael Indelicato, who are key names for capital market transactions in the space. Christopher Belisle and John Benson have both joined the New York-based team.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Seward & Kissel's shipping team is knowledgeable, professional, and conscientious, being great co-counsel to work with.’
- ‘Edward Horton is an experienced lawyer with significant expertise in shipping capital markets. His knowledge of US securities exchange requirements, combined with his extensive maritime finance experience, makes him uniquely qualified to guide complex IPO transactions.'
- 'Their responsiveness is also an important strength, particularly valuable in transactions with extremely tight timelines.’
- 'Their deep knowledge of exchange requirements is significant, enabling them to provide accurate advice on challenging regulatory issues.'
- ‘The team demonstrates a high level of professionalism and efficiency in handling complex matters.'
- ‘Keith Billotti and Edward Horton are at the top of their game. Keith works very hard, has your back, and will work in a fully integrated manner to present a united team to the client. Ted's calm assurance and thoughtful approach give you confidence in his advice.’
Key clients
- DNB Bank ASA
- Scorpio Tankers Inc.
- SFL Corp. Ltd.
- CMB.TECH NV
- TORM plc
- FLEX LNG Ltd.
- Frontline Ltd.
- Scorpio Tankers Inc.
- Arctic Securities
- OceanPal Inc.
- Diana Shipping Inc.
- Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Keith Billotti
John Benson
Practice head
Keith Billotti; Susanne Burstein
Other key lawyers
Edward Horton; Madison Pesce; Michael Indelicato; Edward Horton; Christopher Belisle; John Benson