Clients often come to me for assistance with issues that others have addressed without resolution. I see the problem globally and develop a practical, effective, and cost-efficient strategy. My focus is problem-solving and troubleshooting. A key element of my approach is bringing people together to find a path forward that eliminates the ongoing cost, dispute, or hardship. I am a litigator, but I am also a risk manager. I understand the impact that litigation can have on business and I work closely with my clients to achieve results that are in their best interest.

José Cot has litigated maritime and insurance matters throughout the Gulf South for 35 years. His maritime clients range from domestic to international private corporations and insurers, including those in the London insurance market. José also represents state agencies and instrumentalities, including in connection with U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations and formal proceedings. From maritime claims surrounding ports, terminals, rivers, and bridges in Louisiana, Texas, and Florida, to claims arising from operations in the offshore oil patch, there is rarely an accident, property damage claim, or natural disaster that José has not encountered.

In his insurance coverage practice, José is adept at navigating direct actions brought against insurers in first-party and third-party claims, as well as coverage analysis and litigation. José handles primary, excess, and umbrella coverage issues, allocation and cost sharing agreements, bad faith claims, disputes involving retro premium agreements, reservation of rights and declaratory judgment actions.

José’s broad experience also includes Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) matters, indemnity and contractual disputes, subrogation, and recovery actions. He also handles construction defects, expropriation and inverse condemnation proceedings, premises and product liability claims, asbestos, silica, and toxic tort claims. As a certified mediator, José also handles private mediations and has extensive experience in various Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) modalities, including arbitration.

José is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico and fluent in Spanish.