KIRK N. AURANDT

Short Biography

Mr. Aurandt is an associate in the firm’s Admiralty and Appellate Groups concentrating on admiralty and maritime law and insurance subrogation and defense matters. Originally from Reading, Pennsylvania, Mr. Aurandt is a lifelong fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers. He received his B.A. from Penn State University, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity (Fiji), and his J.D., with Maritime Law Certificate, from the Tulane University School of Law, where he was a member of the Tulane Maritime Law Journal. Prior to entering law school, Mr. Aurandt graduated from the U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island, and served as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy. While on active duty, Mr. Aurandt completed two tours of sea duty in division officer (Boilers, Electrical, and CIC Officer) and department head (Operations Officer/Navigator) billets on ships stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In 1988, while serving aboard USS WHIPPLE (FF-1062), Mr. Aurandt was named the Junior Officer Shiphandler of the Year for Destroyer Squadron 35. Between sea-duty assignments, Mr. Aurandt was a naval science instructor in the Department of Seamanship and Navigation at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, teaching courses in piloting and celestial navigation. Mr. Aurandt also completed all requirements for Joint Professional Military Education Phase 1 credit by earning a diploma from the U.S. Naval War College, College of Continuing Education, through the War College’s non-resident seminar program held in Annapolis. Mr. Aurandt has over twenty years of experience in cases involving all facets of admiralty and maritime law, including: vessel arrest and maritime lien foreclosure, marine collisions and allisions, limitation of liability, charter party disputes, COGSA and Harter Act claims, vessel (tugboat) sales and preferred ship mortgages, marine insurance disputes and coverage analysis, master service agreement disputes and indemnity, §905 (b) and Jones Act defense, Rivers and Harbors Act defense, and maritime contract interpretation. Mr. Aurandt also has extensive experience in the preparation of dispositive motion and appellate briefs. Mr. Aurandt currently serves as reporter for the Admiralty Record®—an annual hardcover admiralty and maritime law case reporter reporting the published admiralty opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States and the United States Courts of Appeals.