Laura A. Otenti

Laura is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation, Logistics & Transportation, and Bankruptcy Departments. Her transportation experience includes transactional, regulatory, litigation and insurance advice on behalf of carriers, brokers, shippers, freight forwarders and other logistics companies. She has represented shippers (i.e., consumers of transportation services), motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, NVOCCs, a shippers’ association, and warehousemen. She has represented clients before the Federal Maritime Commission, and in the state and federal courts.

Laura provides litigation and bankruptcy representation as part of her transportation and logistics practice, as well as to the firm’s commercial and individual clients. Such representation includes litigation, mediation, and arbitration concerning misclassification, breach of contract, negligence, insurance, and bankruptcy claims and sales.

Prior to joining the firm, Laura practiced in Rhode Island at a well-respected firm in Providence and for the Honorable Michael Silverstein of the Rhode Island Superior Court.

Logistics & Transportation

• Drafted and negotiated service contracts on behalf of motor carriers, brokers, shippers and warehouses.
• Represented NVOCC in FMC audit resulting in zero fines or penalties.
• Formed corporation for motor carriers and brokers, and obtained federal interstate operating authority.
• Drafted and negotiated volume service contracts for ocean carriage on behalf of shippers’ association.
• Defended consignee liability claims.
• Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of shipper against freight forwarder and warehouse for stolen cargo.
• Obtained TSA Indirect Air Carrier (IAC) authorization for foreign-owned freight forwarder.
• Advised clients as to rights and obligations under the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA), the Carmack Amendment, the Shipping Act, Interstate Commerce Act, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, General Average, Incoterms and Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).
• Represented clients before the Federal Maritime Commission and the civil courts.
• Obtained $250,000 insurance settlement on behalf of motor carrier for damage to cargo.

Bankruptcy

• Consummated Chapter 11 plan of reorganization for small family business.
• Represented large granite quarry and manufacturer in Chapter 11 case.
• Represented individual and three real estate development companies in Chapter 7.
• Represented Section 363 Sale purchaser in obtaining assets of Debtor free and clear of liens.
• Researched and analyzed complex UCC issues concerning securitized student loans for Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors.
• Obtained favorable settlement of proof of claim and clear cloud on title to real estate on behalf of commercial landlord in mega-Chapter 11 case.
• Commenced state receivership action on behalf of creditor.
• Obtained relief from automatic stay on behalf of commercial landlords and secured lenders.
• Drafted legal briefs submitted to the Bankruptcy Court of Appeals.

Litigation

• Obtained favorable verdict on behalf of public housing manager against tenant’s negligence claim.
• Obtained favorable administrative decision for anesthesiologist against employer for unpaid compensation.
• Obtained favorable settlement after filing of appeal on behalf of animals rights organization where the testamentary instrument was ambiguous as to whether the organization or a similarly named organization was the intended beneficiary.
• Defeated Fair Debt Collection Practices action against third party collections company.
• Successfully obtained prejudgment attachment for employer for repayment of funds stolen by employee.

• Laura was named Massachusetts Super Lawyer- Rising Star (Transportation Law) every year from 2011-2016.