Anthony J. Staines

PARTNER

Practice Areas

Admiralty and Maritime Litigation
Cargo Defense
Transportation Law
Oil and Gas/Energy
Environmental/Toxic Tort Defense
Marine Insurance Coverage
Contractual Interpretation - primarily involving maritime contracts
General Casualty
Trial Practice

Education

Louisiana State University Law Center, Juris Doctor - 1980
University of New Orleans, B.S., Bachelor of Science - 1976

Bar Associations

Louisiana, 1980
Supreme Court of the United States of America, 1996
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1981
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1981
U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana, 1981
U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana, 1981

Professional Associations

Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute - Vice Chair
Maritime Law Association of the United States
Marine Insurance and Claims Association
Louisiana State Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
New Orleans Bar Association
Jefferson Bar Association
Louisiana Bar Foundation Fellow and Board Member
Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
New Orleans Association of Defense Counsel
New Orleans Claims Association
Jefferson Parish Chamber of Commerce
Mariners Club of the Port of New Orleans
Mariners Club of the Port of Houston

Honors and Awards

Best Insurance Attorneys – Recommended
Martindale Hubbell - AV rated

Community Involvement

Former Board Member of New Orleans Military and Maritime Academy (NOMMA)

Hobbies and Interests

Tony has been known to spend most of his time associated with his legal practice. When not involved in work activities, Tony enjoys all sports as an observer and participant and, whenever possible, enjoys spending time with his sons and grandsons.

In 1992, Tony and Tommy Eppling formed Staines & Eppling. Since that time, Tony’s practice has involved primarily admiralty and maritime law, energy, and environmental and toxic tort litigation. He has thoroughly enjoyed the litigation practice involving primarily maritime and toxic tort litigation, which has now covered approximately 45 years. Tony has developed clients consisting of vessel operators, marine insurance brokers, and marine insurance underwriters, both domestic and in London. As such, he has tried numerous personal injury and property damage cases to judges and juries in both federal and state courts in Louisiana and Texas. Tony has also represented clients in courts in Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, Florida, and Illinois.

In addition to his litigation practice, Tony serves on several boards, involving maritime and non-maritime services. He is a board member with the Louisiana Bar Foundation and serves as the Committee Chair for the Domestic Violence Committee. Tony has served as a delegate to the Louisiana State Bar Association. He presently serves as Vice Chair for the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute (SEALI) and will be the Chair in 2026. He is involved in many other associations, as well as community activities.

Tony has spoken and presented in various areas, including the Jones Act, general maritime negligence, maintenance and cure, punitive damages, seamen’s status, general marine safety, and developments in maritime cases over the years. He has also participated in the past as a member of the faculty of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy and as a participant at the Professional Orientation for the Louisiana State Bar Association.

Representative Matters

Tony has represented numerous clients in vast areas of litigation including maritime personal injury cases, property damage cases including collisions/allisions and companies involved in toxic tort litigation, including but not limited to asbestos, benzene and other toxic chemicals.

Publications and Speeches

Several presentations for Florida Marine Transporters
Several presentations to Lloyd’s Marine Insurance Underwriters