Bob Bocko handles financial services and maritime matters, and he is also experienced in other areas including business, casualty, international, and product liability litigation. Bob also advises clients regarding regulatory and business planning matters in a variety of areas, including banking, securities, insurance, consumer lending, and maritime trade.

Over the course of his practice, Bob has had the privilege of representing a broad range of major clients. They include American Express, Ameriprise Financial, Bear Stearns, Citigroup, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, JPMorgan Chase, Hartford Financial, Mellon Investor Services, Morgan Keegan, Oppenheimer, UBS Financial Services, Wachovia, Wells Fargo Bank, American Steamship Owners Mutual P&I Association, APL, ConocoPhillips, Crowley Marine Services, Gard AS, Holland America Line, Horizon Lines, Maersk, Matson, Mitsui OSK Lines, North of England P&I Association, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, The Standard Club, Trident Seafoods, The United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Limited, and The West of England Ship Owners Mutual Insurance Association (Luxembourg).

An experienced litigator, Bob handles disputes in state and federal court as well as in arbitration. He is admitted to practice law in all state and federal courts in Maine. He is also admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Bob is a FINRA arbitrator and has served as a AAA arbitrator. Listed below are some of the cases that Bob has handled over the years:

Campidoglio LLC v. Wells Fargo & Co., 870 F.3d 963 (9th Cir. 2017)

Head v. Kommandit-Gesselschaft Gesselschaft MS San Alvaro Offen Reederei GMBH & Co., 17 F. Supp. 3d 1099 (W.D. Wash. 2014)

Crowley Marine Services, Inc. v. Vigor Marine LLC, 2014 AMC 744 (W.D. Wash. 2014)

Nicol v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 857 F. Supp. 2d 1067 (D. Or. 2012)

Copeland-Turner v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 800 F. Supp. 2d 1132 (D. Or. 2011)

ProShipLine Inc. v. Aspen Infrastructures, Ltd., 609 F.3d 960 (9th Cir. 2010)

Fultz v. World Savings, 571 F. Supp. 2d 1195, 2008 WL 3826238 (W.D. Wash. 2008)

M-Cubed, LLC v. Maersk, Inc., 2008 AMC 9, 849 (W.D. Wash. 2007, 2008)

S.D.S. Lumber Co. Limitation Proceedings, 2007 AMC 2835 (D. Or. 2007)

Beckett v. Mellon Investor Services, LLC, 2006 WL 3249189 (W.D. Wash. 2006)

Tcherevik v. Rybcomflot, 202 F. App’x 287, 2006 WL 2794382 (9th Cir. 2006)

Francis v. Maersk Line Limited, 2004 AMC 2840 (W.D. Wash. 2004)

BP West Coast Products v. Alaska Tanker Co., 2004 AMC 108 (W.D. Wash. 2003)

Lozano v. American Express, 2002 WL 31968994 (D. Or. 2002)

Axess Int’l Ltd. v. Intercargo Ins. Co., 107 Wn. App. 713, 30 P.3d 1 (Wash. App. 2001)

Chloe Z v. Odyssey Re (London) Ltd., 109 F. Supp. 2d 1236 (S.D. Cal. 2000)

Lundborg v. Keystone Shipping, 138 Wn.2d 658 (1999); 89 Wn. App. 886 (1998)

Axess Int’l Ltd. v. Intercargo Ins. Co., 183 F.3d 935 (9th Cir. 1999)

Getty v. Harmon, 53 F. Supp. 2d 1053 (W.D. Wash. 1999)

Heikkila v. Sphere Drake Ins., 1997 AMC 2975 (D. Guam 1997)

TCW Special Credits v. F/V CHLOE Z, 1998 AMC 750 (D. Guam 1997)

West One Bank v. F/V CONTINUITY, 1994 AMC 2059 (W.D. Wash. 1994)

Pioko Fashions v. American President Lines, 1993 AMC 2615 (W.D. Wash. 1993)

American President Lines v. Coastal Trans., Inc., 1992 AMC 2809 (W.D. Wash. 1992)

Kyoei Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd. v. M/V BERING TRADER, 760 F. Supp. 174 (W.D. Wash. 1991)

Kyoei Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd. v. M/V BERING TRADER, 1992 AMC 1258 (W.D. Wash. 1991)

Port Lynch v. New England Int’l, 754 F. Supp. 816, 1992 AMC 225 (W.D. Wash. 1991)

Twin City Fire Ins. Co. v. King County, 749 F. Supp. 230 (W.D. Wash. 1990)

Borgan v. M/V SAMMI FRONTIER, 710 F. Supp. 1300 (W.D. Wash. 1988)

Bob is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine School of Law and has lectured at the University of Washington School of Law and Seattle University School of Law. Bob has presented seminar papers to the legal community multiple times over the years at financial services and maritime continuing legal education seminars. Bob has also spoken to numerous professional trade and industry groups about various subjects. Additionally, he has contributed to articles published in international trade and legal periodicals.

Since 2009, the publishers of Washington Law & Politics have annually listed Bob to Washington Super Lawyers. Martindale-Hubbell has consistently awarded Bob an AV Preeminent rating.

International Who’s Who of Shipping & Maritime Lawyers repeatedly named Bob as one of several hundred lawyers around the globe recognized as leading maritime practitioners.  Who’s Who Legal Transport 2017 named Bob as one of only four lawyers in Washington State in the category of Shipping. Bob has been a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States since 1987, and he is recognized as a Proctor in Admiralty.

Bob received his B.S. degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1982, graduating with magna cum laude honors. In 1985 he received his J.D. degree from the University of Maine School of Law, graduating near the top of his class. Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family and contributes support, time, and energy to various community groups.