About Us

Trusted Since 1986 by Injured Maritime Workers

Raley & Raley, P.C.'s attorneys, Charles H. Raley, Jr. and Erin Brownfield Raley, are a husband and wife legal team with more than 57 years of combined experience practicing law.

Trusted by our clients beginning in 1986, we represent injured maritime workers in state and federal courts in Georgia and South Carolina. Our clients are working people injured on docks, rivers, oceans, and vessels. Their jobs are dredge workers, longshoremen, tug deckhands, and other mariners.

Why Hire Us?

Results.

What sets us apart?

Experience.

Maritime Law is Specialized

We take pride in having full knowledge of the fine points of maritime law, in having experience in the state and federal trial and appellate courts who hear such cases, and in using our waterways to gain insight into our cases. We call this Local Knowledge and use it to our clients' advantage to obtain maximum results under the maritime law.

Local Knowledge Makes the Difference

Spud collars, lashing gangs, stow plans, spreader bars, lashing rods, dunnage, monkey’s fists, under-keel clearance, messenger lines, figure eights, timberheads, chocks, hawsers, deck winches, push-knees, and topping lines are part of the everyday work vocabulary at Raley & Raley, P.C.

We speak your language simply because we have been doing this for a while. We know how the inner workings of the marine industry will affect your case. We use our knowledge to your advantage.

Our attorneys understand the waterfront and how it works. We have years of experience:

Consulting with clients
Inspecting ships, dredges, tugs, barges, and other vessels
Interviewing witnesses
Taking depositions of workers and industry experts, including marine surveyors, loading experts, crane experts, and marine safety experts

Add to the mix of this experience our many trials, appeals, depositions, and hearings on a variety of maritime laws in state and federal courts in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and other Southeastern states.

The result is a legal team who knows what they are talking about. Check out the details of our careers for backup:

About Our Team

Contact Charles H. Raley, Jr.

Maritime Lawyer Licensed in South Carolina and Georgia

charles@raleylawfirm.com

Charles H. Raley, Jr. brings his maritime personal injury clients a record of zealous representation and the benefit of knowledge he has gained in over 31 years as a maritime trial lawyer. His history of producing positive results has earned him the recognition of “Best Lawyers in America” in admiralty and maritime law.

Over the years of his legal career, Charles has represented:

Longshoremen
Dredge Deckhands
Dredge Riggers
Harbor Tug Deckhands
Offshore Tug Deckhands
Inland River Towboat Mates
Harbor Tug Captains
Offshore Tug Captains

Docking Pilots
Marine Crane Operators
Dockside Crane Operators
Delivery Crewmembers
Checkers
Ship Repairmen
Boatyard Maintenance Workers
Pleasure Boat Repairmen

Recreational Boaters
Ferry Passengers
Stevedore Supervisors
Tankermen
Navy Commanders
Salvors
River Pilots

Education

The University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1986
The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, B.A., 1983

Bar Admissions and Memberships

South Carolina Bar, 1986
State Bar of Georgia, 2003
United States District Court, District of South Carolina, 1987
United States District Court, Southern District of Georgia, 2005
United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia, 2011
Maritime Law Association of the United States, Proctor Member
Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Member/Port Director

Professional Activities

A-V Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2008
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2009
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2010
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2011
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2012
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2013

Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2014
Best Lawyers in America, Georgia Maritime Lawyer of the Year, 2015
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2015
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2016
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2017
Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty & Maritime Law, 2018
Best Lawyers in America, Georgia Maritime Lawyer of the Year, 2019

Author

“Admiralty Law: Litigation’s Wild Card,” South Carolina Lawyer Magazine, July 1993
“Pilotage: The Real Charleston Bar,” South Carolina Bar Admiralty and Maritime CLE, Program Speaker, 2007

Contact Erin Brownfield Raley

Maritime Lawyer Licensed in Georgia and Tennessee

erin@raleylawfirm.com

Erin Brownfield Raley brings Raley & Raley P.C.’s maritime personal injury clients her extensive knowledge of insurance company insider information. Having previously served as insurance coverage and defense counsel for many years, Erin is uniquely qualified to assess maritime personal injury claims and advise clients regarding the potential for recovery.

Erin has obtained over 70 favorable jury verdicts for clients. Her trial practice includes mediation and arbitration of claims in addition to jury and bench trials. She has received significant recognition from her peers for her outstanding work. In 2006, Super Lawyers (appearing in Atlanta Magazine) named Erin a “Rising Star.”

Education

Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., 1997
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 1990

Bar Admissions and Memberships

Tennessee Bar Association, 1997
State Bar of Georgia, 2002
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2004
United States District Court, Southern District of Georgia, 2004
United States District Court, Middle District of Georgia, 2005
United States District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 1997
Savannah Bar Association, Member
Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Member
Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, Member