Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Navigating Legal Waters: Marine Surveyors and the Law seminar, presented by Perry Maritime Law Group.
By bringing together attorneys, marine surveyors, insurance professionals, and maritime industry leaders, the Miami Marine Council once again demonstrated its more than 55-year legacy of providing high-quality education, innovative programming, and industry leadership—all while continuing to serve as guardians of the Miami marine industry.
Seminar Topics & Speakers
Participants walked away with real-world examples, practical takeaways, and valuable insights drawn from multiple perspectives across the marine industry.
🔹 The Surveyor’s Contract – Protecting the Surveyor
Presented by Michael Karcher, Robert Allen Law
This session focused on contractual risk management, key clauses surveyors should understand, and practical strategies to protect professional interests while maintaining strong client relationships.
🔹 The Surveyor, the Broker, and the Owner
(The good, the bad, and the ugly of a yacht purchase)
Panelists: Laura Sherrod (Newcoast Insurance), Jason Wood (YachtHabit), Jim Perry (Perry Maritime)
This dynamic panel explored real-life scenarios from yacht transactions, highlighting where communication, expectations, and liability often collide—and how collaboration between professionals can prevent disputes.
🔹 The Surveyor and the Insurance Adjuster
(A Love/Hate Relationship?)
Panelists: Matthew Valcourt (Valcourt & Associates), Roland Santos, Jr. (Alpha Marine Surveyors)
Panelists offered candid insights into the surveyor–adjuster relationship, sharing best practices for working together effectively, navigating claims, and reducing friction during loss investigations.
🔹 Featured Panel: Surveying, Liability & the Law — Told by AI
Moderator: Frank Sioli, Sioli, Alexander & Pino
A first-of-its-kind presentation built and delivered by an AI narrator, this panel introduced attendees to new ways artificial intelligence is impacting the legal and maritime industries. The discussion explored AI-driven narration, chatbots, and emerging applications—offering a fresh, forward-looking perspective on technology and the law. A unique addition at the end was meeting Jason Wood’s “AI counterpart”, standing on a yacht and offering insight in real-time communication. This interactive experience really showed a new level of how AI is changing the industry.
Across every session, participants gained practical knowledge they can immediately apply—along with a deeper understanding of how legal, insurance, and survey considerations intersect throughout the marine industry.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
These programs would not be possible without the support of our sponsors:
- Presenting Sponsor: Perry Maritime Law Group
- Gold Sponsors: Engineered Systems Inc. (ESI); Neblett Law Group
