 | Rupert P. Hansen
P: 415.438.4600 x 203
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Mr. Rupert P. Hansen is a founding partner of Cox, Wootton, Griffin, Hansen & Poulos LLP. Prior to joining Cox Wootton, Mr. Hansen was a partner with the international law firm of Graham & James, LLP in San Francisco.
Mr. Hansen represents a variety of business interests, including financial institutions, developers, property owners, construction companies, manufacturers, vessel owners, charterers, P&I Clubs, terminal operators and transportation concerns. He has experience as lead counsel in complex trials and appellate matters in both federal and state courts, as well as in international arbitration. Mr. Hansen also engages in transactional and finance work, and is frequently retained by large law firms to assist them and their clients in transactions that have complicated components of maritime finance and shipping regulation. He is regularly called upon to serve as a mediator and arbitrator within the areas of his expertise. Mr. Hansen has also testified as an expert witness in marine insurance matters in the United States, and has served as an expert on U.S maritime law in Danish legal proceedings.
Mr. Hansen has been practicing law for over thirty years. He is "A.V." rated with the Martindale-Hubbell national attorneys' listing, and has been perennially named one of Northern California's Super Lawyers by Northern California Super Lawyers Magazine. The honor is awarded to those lawyers who are deemed to be among the top five percent of Northern California attorneys, based on input by their peers and independent research conducted by Law & Politics. Mr. Hansen is also listed in Best Lawyers in America, and has been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Area of Practice
- Transactions and Litigation Concerning Commercial, Admiralty, Maritime, Aviation, Environmental, Construction, Finance, Real Estate, and Transportation Matters
- Mediator and Arbitrator
Education
- B.G.S., University of Michigan (1975)
- J.D., California Western School of Law (1978)
- LL.M., University of London (University & King's Colleges) London (1982)
- LL.M. in Admiralty, Tulane University, with Distinction (1982)
Honors
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Named a Northern California Super Lawyer (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Named to San Francisco's Top Lawyers by San Francisco Chronicle (2011-2012)
- Named one of the Best Lawyers in the Bay Area by San Francisco Business Times (2009)
- "AV" Rated by Martindale-Hubble for over 15 years
- Rated "10/10 Superb" by www.avvo.com
- Listed In The Recorder's 2009 "Top 100 Settlements in California" for obtaining a multi-million dollar settlement in a ship mortgage foreclosure action
Admitted
- State of California (1978)
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal
- All Federal District Courts in California
- Pro Hac Vice Admissions:
- United States District Court for the District of Alaska
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama
- Unied States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
- United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Member, Torts and Insurance Practice Committee (Past Chair of Subcommittee on Admiralty and Maritime Law)
- Member, Business Law Section
- Member, Litigation Section
- Member, Environment, Energy and Resources Section
- San Francisco Bar Association
- Member, Admiralty Committee (Past Chair)
- Marin County Bar Association
- Real Property Section
- Business Law Section
- Maritime Law Association of the U.S. (Proctor Member)
- University of San Francisco Maritime Law Journal (Executive Committee Member and Permanent Advisory Board Member)
- Pacific Admiralty Law Seminar (Past Chair)
- Subcommittee On Local Admiralty Rules, United States District Court, Northern District of California (Member)
- International Bar Association (Member)
Academic
- University of San Francisco Law School - Adjunct Professor of Law (1989 - 2003)
Representative Environmental Matters
- Lead counsel for a construction interest in a $70 million construction and environmental litigation involving a 288-acre Mega-Terminal
- Lead counsel for a financial institution in complex litigation involving a groundwater contamination site at one of Silicon Valley’s first chip manufacturing sites
- Lead counsel for a construction interest in an environmental litigation involving construction of a 31-story office building and contaminated soils
- Lead counsel for a major developer in litigation involving groundwater contamination of a shopping center caused by a major oil company
- Headed transactional due diligence team investigating environmental conditions at 326 storage sites worldwide and over 100 solvent litigation matters in connection with a client’s acquisition of a major chemical storage and supply company.
- Lead counsel for owner of land in environmental regulatory proceedings and in cost recovery litigation for contamination caused by boat repair yard tenant
- Represented product manufacturers in Prop 65 litigation
- Lead counsel for developer to enforce environmental indemnity agreement against Oil Major who was former tenant of solvent contaminated site
- Represented a financial institution in 10-year groundwater regulatory proceedings involving multi-million dollar clean-up of TCE solvent contamination and successfully obtained no further action resolution from regulators
- Represented banking institution in environmental indemnity case against chemical company
- Regularly advise developers and property owners regarding environmental issues related to real estate sales and acquisitions
- Successfully defended (through appeal, with recovery of attorneys fees both at trial level and on appeal) the seller of an MTBE impacted property that was sold "as is" to a petroleum company, who tried to overcome the sale contract's "as is" clause with indemnity claim for site clean-up costs
Representative Real Estate Litigation
- Represented major developer in inverse condemnation case affecting 1,000-acre residential development
- Successfully obtained an award in arbitration granting contract rescission, deposit refund, interest and recovery of attorneys' fees and costs, for a residential purchaser in a non-disclosure action against a seller of a $4.1million dollar residence
- Represented 105 clients in a matter involving implied dedication right of way – achieved settlement that preserved historic public access rights to open space
Representative Business Litigation
- Represented former owners of a Major League Baseball team in contract dispute over team’s sale
- Achieved $1.5 million settlement for outdoor advertising company client in revenue dispute between two Southern California outdoor advertising companies
- Obtained defense verdict for employer client following 8-month trial in state court with California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement regarding client’s alleged Labor Code violations, with recovery of costs
- Represented toy company in foreign distributorship dispute
- Litigation and arbitration of all manner of maritime interests in maritime business disputes
- Representation of Banking institutions and private equity lenders in financial litigation
Representative Transactions
- Represented bank in $32.5 million refinancing of marine entity involving 17 ship mortgages and deeds of trust as collateral
- Represented secured creditor banking institution in $60 million debt restructuring of credit facilities to major marine operator
- Lead counsel in over $1.75 billion of ship sale and financing transactions over a 30-year period
- Representation of vessel owners with regard to the acquisition, purchase, construction, sale, lawful avoidance of VAT, sales, use and property taxes, and international registry of superyachts and megayachts
- Representation of multi-billion dollar privately held company with regard to its development of marine terminals and a new shipping line
- Represented bareboat charterer with option to purchase $68 million all first-class cruise vessel
- Represented buyer of cruise vessel with short-term bareboat charter to seller
- Represented buyer of tugboat company
- Represented buyer of company which makes and operates underwater remote operating vehicles
- Represent owners with regard to the acquisition, purchase, construction, sale, and registry of private jet aircraft and helicopters
- Represented aircraft fleet seller in sale of 18 jet aircraft
- Representation of buyers and sellers of commercial businesses
- Represented buyers and sellers in the purchase and sale of commercial and residential real property
- Frequently retained by major law firms to assist in transactions with complicated maritime components.
Representative Maritime & Aviation Litigation
- Representation of vessel owners and charterers in litigation of vessel casualties, including collisions, allisions, groundings, salvage and general average
- Representation of time charterer in off-hire dispute involving piracy
- Litigation and defense of maritime liens
- Representation of financial institutions and private equity lenders in ship mortgage foreclosures
- Obtained one of California's "Top 100 Settlements" in 2009 for a private equity ship mortgage holder, including multi-million dollar recovery of all principal, interest, custodial expense, attorneys fees, and interest on attorneys fees
- Represent foreign shipbuilder in its U.S. based litigation
- Defense of shipbuilder in fatal crane accident
- Defense of crane manufacturer in fatal crane accident
- Representation of aircraft sellers, purchasers and importers in contract disputes
- Lead counsel in international arbitration regarding foreign military ship construction dispute
- Litigation and arbitration of all manner of maritime and aviation contracts
- Representation of contractors and subcontractors in marine construction disputes
- Representation of maritime lien creditors in bankruptcy proceedings to obtain adequate protection, relief from stay, and to prosecute and defend adversary proceedings involving maritime interests
Sailing Resume
Mr. Hansen has 35 years of sailing experience, including racing in California and the Great Lakes, and bareboat chartering throughout California, the Pacific Northwest, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
