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Join the MLA

Founded in 1899, the Maritime Law Association of the United States is the oldest and most recognized maritime legal organization in the United States, furthering the understanding and advancement of maritime law among lawyers, scholars, and maritime industries. You can join the MLA as an Associate Lawyer Member, Judicial Member, Academic Member or Law Student Member depending on your status.  Online applications and information regarding eligibility for each class of membership appear below.  Membership in the Association provides many benefits and opportunities, including:

  • Networking and collaborating with experienced maritime lawyers from across the United States and around the world
  • Networking with leaders in a variety of maritime industries
  • Participation in nineteen practice area committees such as Marine Financing, Offshore Industries, and Inland Waters and Towing, and more
  • Opportunities to present papers, reports, and CLE programs
  • Attendance at yearly Spring meetings in New York City, and yearly Fall meetings in port or resort cities around the United States
  • Participation in joint meetings with International Maritime Law Associations (in recent years, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, South and Central American Countries, and Caribbean countries)
  • Opportunities to make and receive referrals from association colleagues

The MLA Officers and Directors consider membership applications four times a year at the Board of Directors meeting. We recommend submitting your application at least two weeks prior to a meeting, the dates of which can be found on the calendar page.

View the MLA Dues and Fees 

 

Apply Today

Use one of the links below to apply for MLA membership. Be sure to review the bylaws to see the type of membership for which you are qualified.

            

Please complete the online Associate application form using the button above. If you have any technical difficulties, you can download and submit this PDF application form. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE PDF ASSOCIATE APPLICATION

Proctor Membership

For existing Members interested in applying for Proctor Membership, please login to your profile and navigate to the Proctor Application button in the middle of the page. If you need assistance logging in, please email the MLA Administrator at [email protected].

FOLLOWING ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROCTOR STATUS:

1. Associate Lawyer or Academic membership in good standing in the Association for a period of at least (4) years and admitted to the practice of law before any of the several courts in the United States. (Upon recommendation of the Committee on Proctor Admissions, or in the Board of Directors’ discretion, the Board of Directors may waive the four-year requirement if an applicant is otherwise qualified for Proctor membership).

2. Letters in support from at least two Proctor members in good standing whose principal area of maritime practice is the same as that of the applicant, stating that the applicant has demonstrated expertise in that area of practice as well as high standards of ethical and professional conduct; neither the proposer nor the seconder shall be associated with the applicant in the practice or teaching of law.

3. At least one of the following:

a. evidence of earning a total of 20 credit points in continuing legal education in the field of Admiralty after the admission to the applicable state bar, computed as follows:

i. one (1) point for each hour of attendance at a seminar approved by the Association’s Committee on Continuing Legal Education;

ii. one (1) point for each hour of class attendance as a post-graduate course in Admiralty conducted by an ABA accredited Law School; or

b. publication by the applicant of an article, speech, or text or casebook on a subject related to the practice of Maritime Law (submit citation, title page, table of contents, only); or

c. evidence of concerns for the professional standards and aims of the Association by participation in the work of committees, the other activities of the Association, recognized institutions of higher learning, bar associations; or 

d. evidence of other achievements which, in the opinion of the members of the Proctor Admissions Committee, promote and enhance the status of the Admiralty Bar, the cause of justice, and the general aims of the Association; or

e. evidence of significant satisfactory participation in maritime trials, arbitrations or hearings or significant satisfactory participation in the preparation of appellate briefs or other legal documents (include only title page, table of contents, citations if published or short narrative if not, memoranda, opinions, contracts, et cetera) relating to maritime matters.

NOTE: For articles, speeches, trials, significant satisfactory participation in preparation of legal documents, etc., please do not submit the entire document or record.

Please submit only citations, title page, table of contents, a short narrative, etc. evidencing authorship/participation, and the maritime nature of the article, speech, trial, etc

Reinstatement  

For information on reinstating your membership, please e-mail your request for reinstatement to BOTH the Membership Secretary, Jennifer M. Porter, [email protected], and the MLA Administrator, [email protected].

Adjunct Membership

Only Proctor Members may propose qualified candidates for Adjunct Membership. Proctor Members, please go to the member landing page (you must be logged in) and you will be able to submit the application from the Adjunct Application button.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSING A CANDIDATE FOR ADJUNCT MEMBERSHIP: If you are a Proctor member and would like to propose a candidate for Adjunct membership, please complete a letter of recommendation, send the Adjunct Information Form (see below) to the candidate, and ask him or her to complete it and send it back to you. Once you have the completed form, as well as a seconding letter of recommendation from another Proctor, please forward the completed Adjunct Information Form, along with the Proctor letters proposing and seconding the candidate for Adjunct, to Warren Marwedel at [email protected] and [email protected].