Counsel

Chris S. Kieliger originally joined CWL as a law clerk in 1999. After passing the bar in 2000, he was elevated to Associate and then Senior Associate in 2001. In 2002, Mr. Kieliger left the firm to raise his newborn child. He rejoined the firm in 2005 in an Of Counsel capacity specializing in incident response and investigation and pretrial analysis and preparation in a wide variety of matters including personal injury, wrongful death, construction disputes, business disputes, maritime casualty matters including collisions, allisions, dock damage, pollution and salvage. He also maintains an active commercial practice negotiating, preparing and litigating contracts related to the maritime industry including vessel charter/sale, ferry operations, commercial leases, and supply chain issues. Mr. Kieliger has tried cases in both state and federal court.

Areas of Practice

• Admiralty/Maritime: Represented major U.S. ocean-going and brown water tugboat, crew boat, dive vessel, deck barge and crane barge providers, marine construction companies, commercial fishing operators, activity/excursion boat operators and ferry operators in California as well as numerous domestic and foreign marine insurers and P&I Clubs. Litigated Jones Act, Limitation of Liability Act, passenger, Death on the High Seas Act, collision/allision, marine environmental, vessel arrest/maritime lien, commercial diving, vessel repair and marine insurance claims.  Negotiated, prepared and litigated maritime contracts relating to vessel charter/lease, bunkering, establishment and operation of ferry systems.
• General Litigation: Represented clients in commercial contract matters, premises liability, motor vehicle accident

Education

• J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco (2000)
• B.A., (International Relations),San Francisco State University, San Francisco (1996)

Memberships & Admissions

• State Bar of California
• All United States District Courts in California
• 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
• State Bar of California

Languages

• Proficient in Danish