Brett Esber is a senior partner in the Firm’s maritime practice group, with over 30 years of experience representing companies involved in all aspects of the maritime industry. His clients include shipyards, ship owners and operators, vessel managers and cargo interests, and those who invest in ships, including commercial and investment banks, vessel leasing companies, alternative lenders and private equity funds.
Brett’s practice is focused primarily on commercial transactions and finance involving ships. He has considerable experience structuring, drafting, negotiating, and advising clients with respect to:
- vessel construction contracts
- vessel charters (bareboat, time and voyage charters) and contracts of affreightment
- vessel secured credit facilities
- lease financing transactions involving ships
- second lien credit facilities involving ships
- project financing transactions involving ships
- joint ventures involving ships
- restructuring and workout transactions involving vessel owners and operators
Brett has experience working with companies involved in all sectors of the maritime industry, including tankers, dry bulk, containers, offshore, inland lakes and rivers, and cruise vessels. His practice involves the international as well as the U.S. domestic trades. With regard to the U.S. domestic trades, Brett has considerable experience structuring transactions to comply with the U.S. Jones Act and has assisted companies in obtaining funding through the United States Title XI loan guarantee program.
Outside the Firm
Brett is the father of two, a daughter now married and living in New England and a son newly-graduated from college and living in Virginia. His wife, Eva, also a lawyer, is now semi-retired.
Brett is interested in sports and is a Washington Capitals and Georgetown Hoyas season ticket holder. He coached his son’s school basketball team (“CYO”) for eight years (from grades 1 through 8) and enjoyed watching them win a championship in their seventh grade year.
