Michael J. Rauworth - Wellesley, MA
Attorney at The Chartwell Law Offices, LLP
Admiralty and Maritime Lawyers in Wellesley, MA
170 Worcester Street Suite 200 Wellesley, MA 02481 - 5508
Wellesley Admiralty and Maritime Lawyer
Updated: 03/16/2026
Areas of Practice
- Admiralty and Maritime
- Appellate Practice
- Catastrophic Personal Injury
- Complex Civil & Business Litigation
- Insurance & Reinsurance Coverage
- Premises Liability Defense
Attorney Information
Overview
Mike's Rauworth’s practice is concentrated in maritime and admiralty matters -- lawsuits, business transactions, and regulatory matters. He also handles construction and surety bonding suits and other business litigation.
His maritime practice reaches to nearly every sort of maritime claim, and business matters ranging from maritime film contracts to the purchase and sale of commercial vessels to maritime festival events. He developed arguments that made their way to the United States Supreme Court in the Sky Reefer case and made a nationwide change in the law of cargo disputes. His clients include pilot organizations, shipowners, port authorities, marine insurers, yards, marinas, and other maritime businesses and individuals.
His practice builds on a life-long association with seagoing pursuits, including some 200,000 nautical miles as a professional deck officer and master of twenty plus commercial and military vessels. He maintains a U.S. Coast Guard license to command vessels of any tonnage, from supertankers to sailing ships. In nearly 30 years of service with the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve, he rose to the rank of Captain and served in command of one Navy unit and five Coast Guard units, involving deployments to protect overseas ports of supply for U.S. forces. He teaches Marine Insurance in the International Maritime Business Program at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
He is board chair of Tall Ships America, and active in civic affairs and historic preservation in Nahant, Massachusetts, where he lives with his wife Nancy whom he met while working as chief mate of a four-masted square-rigger. He enjoys sailing, but strictly confines it to Other People’s Boats.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Twice Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal
Education
-
Legal Education
-
University of Virginia School of Law,
Charlottesville,
Virginia, 1986
J.D.
-
University of Virginia School of Law,
Charlottesville,
Virginia, 1986
-
Non Legal Education
-
University of Chicago,
Chicago,
Illinois, 1970
B.A.
-
University of Chicago,
Chicago,
Illinois, 1970
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Partner
Past Positions
- Cetrulo LLP
- Peabody & Arnold, Boston
- Bingham, Dana & Gould, Boston
- United States Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve
Pro Bono Activities
- Member, Propeller Club (Maritime Industry Professionals)
- Member, Mariner's Club (Marine Insurance Professionals)
- Non-Profit Corporation, Restoration of the National Historic Landmark Tugboat, Luna
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts, 1986
- District of Columbia, 1989
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
- U.S. District Court District of Vermont
Other Affiliations
- Maritime Law Association (Member)
- American Bar Association (Member)
- American Sail Training Association (President and Chair)
- Nahant Preservation Trust (President)
- USS Constitution Museum (Member, Board of Overseers)
Photo
Contact
170 Worcester Street
Suite 200
Wellesley, MA 02481 - 5508
Phone: (610) 666-7700
Fax: (617) 395-2627
Email: Send a message
Website: http://www.chartwelllaw.com
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