Chalos O’Connor attorneys join other firms

   The maritime law firm Chalos O’Connor LLP is closing, and its attorneys are moving to larger law firms.
   K&L Gates announced last week that Michael G. Chalos has joined its New York office as a partner in the maritime practice. Previously the senior partner at Chalos O’Connor, Chalos is accompanied in his move by associates Luke Reid and George Kontakis in the firm’s Boston and New York offices, respectively.
   Chalos focuses on traditional maritime and criminal environmental law, and he has represented clients involved in high-profile civil and criminal environmental litigation. His work has included the successful defense of the masters of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker and Selendang Ayu cargo ship, as well as numerous United States- and foreign-based corporations, ship owners, managers, operators, and crew who were the targets of criminal investigations by the U.S. government. Chalos also represented owners, operators, and/or underwriters involved in major pollution casualties, including the Morris J. Berman, Buffalo 405, Cape Mohican, Bermuda Islander, Athos I, and Cosco Busan incidents.
   Montgomery McCracken said Tuesday that it has added three Chalos O’Connor attorneys to its Maritime and Transportation practice group in its New York office. Eugene J. O’Connor and Timothy Semenoro will join as partners, and Robert E. O’Connor joins as an associate. All three worked on cases involving the Rickmers Genoa and MSC Flaminia while at Chalos O’Connor.
   In recent years, many specialized admiralty law firms have closed or been absorbed by larger companies. For example, in 2012 DeOrchis & Partners joined Montgomery McCracken, and in 2006 the admiralty firm Healy and Baillie merged with Blank Rome.