Local leaders share legal experience with Maritime Law students

Charleston School of Law’s intermodal container transportation class had the opportunity to learn and network with leaders in the maritime industry throughout the Fall 2025 semester.

The class, led by Charleston Law adjunct professor Gordon Schreck, hosted local leaders from a variety of sectors in the Maritime Law field, including the ocean terminal, container, rail, trucking, and U.S. Coast Guard. Students were able to hear experienced professionals discuss their roles working at the Port of Charleston. 

The list of guest speakers during the semester included:

• Byron Miller: Chief Commercial Officer and V-P for Marketing, South Carolina State Ports Authority. Charleston Law students also had the unique opportunity to visit the Wando Welch Container Termination, where they witnessed a modern containership at work.
• Jason Douglas: Executive Director, South Carolina Stevedores Association. Representing the longshore labor section employed by stevedore companies to load and discharge containers: Kenneth Riley – President, ILA Local 1422, and V-P, ILA South Atlantic District.
•  Nicholas Hargreaves, Esq. and Simone Schmid: Mr. Hargreaves is in-house counsel and head of the Claims Dept. for Mediterranean Shipping Co. (USA) Inc., and Ms. Schmid, MSC Senior Claims Handler, US Container Cargo Claims.
• Patrick McCrory and Brian Gwin: McCrory serves as President at Palmetto Railways, and Gwin is the Senior Industrial Development Manager, Norfolk Southern Corp. The rail sector is engaged in moving containers to and from the Port of Charleston.
• Rick Todd: President, South Carolina Truckers Association. The organization is responsible for moving containers in and out of the Port of Charleston via over-the-road trucks.
• US Coast Guard: Capt. Shawn Lansing, Commander, Sector Charleston/Captain of the Port; and Commander Andrew Czarnick, Chief of Prevention Department, Sector Charleston. The Coast Guard is responsible for regulating the safety of containerships calling at the Port of Charleston. 

Charleston School of Law is located on the historic peninsula. As a result of its proximity to one of the highest-volume ports in the United States, the Law School offers students an opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners, judges, and professors in a broad range of admiralty law specialties, as well as from non-lawyer maritime professionals who make our port such a success.