On April 20, 2010, the well being drilled and completed by the Deepwater Horizon mobile offshore drilling unit suffered a catastrophic and uncontrolled blow-out, resulting in the deaths of eleven rig workers and the discharge of millions of barrels of oil, natural gas, and methane into the ecosystem and fisheries of and bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The consequences of this disaster reach far along the chain of economies and markets throughout the region and the nation. From the beginning of the resulting litigation in May 2010, the Jones, Swanson law firm has been active in protecting the rights of fishermen and commercial claimants. In May 2010, our firm was part of an attorney group that achieved stipulated judgments and consent decrees regarding removal of waiver language from Vessels of Opportunity (“VOO”) contracts and regarding training and use of protective personal equipment by VOO fishermen. In filings in May through September 2010, our firm was part of an attorney group that sought court supervision over first the BP-administered and then the GCCF-administered claims programs, which contributed to the court’s appointment of a Special Master. In June 2010, the firm was part of an attorney group that sought injunctive relief to halt BP’s dispersal of assets, after the filing of which BP agreed to creation of the $20 billion escrow fund. The firm has also served as local counsel for environmental groups that sought and achieved a consent decree protecting endangered sea turtles during controlled oil-burn activities in June and July 2010.
To well-serve both large commercial clients suffering financial damages due to the damage to the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico and landowners and fishermen directly impacted by the spill, the Jones, Swanson firm has teamed up with the law firms of Sher, Garner, Cahill, Richter, Klein & Hilbert and Fishman, Haygood, Phelps, Walmsley, Willis & Swanson.
