Morgan & Morgan

Jazmina Rovi is a Partner and head of the Ship Finance and Registration Department of the firm. Ms. Rovi has over 25 years’ experience representing ship owners, charterers and leading financial institutions on all types of registration options available under Panama flag and ship finance structures including ship mortgages and pledge of shares of Panama ship owning companies. She has an extensive practice in assistance on sale and purchase transactions of vessels including negotiation and closing of MOAs and on ship finance projects. She is also actively engaged in the licensing process for companies interested in starting maritime auxiliary businesses in the Republic of Panama. Ms. Rovi has been also involved in the pro bono activities of the firm playing an active role in the drafting of various Panama maritime legislations including the General Merchant Marine Law No. 57 of 2008 and the Executive Decree No. 86 of 2013 which implements the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. She promoted the initiative of Panama negotiating with People’s Republic of China the most favored nation clause which would grant Panama flag vessels preferential rates in Chinese ports and was invited to attend the first State Visit of a President of Panama to China that took place on November 2017 where a maritime agreement with MFN clause was signed. She has also collaborated with review and drafting of Panama regulations for fishing vessels and licenses for fishing vessels and reefers. Ms. Rovi is a member of the National Bar Association of Panama, Maritime Law Association of Panama and the Iberoamerican Institute of Maritime Law. She was elected to chair the Maritime Law Association of Panama from 2011-2012 and re-elected for the 2012-2013 and 2019-2020 periods. In addition, she is listed as a leading lawyer in the Shipping chapters of Chambers & Partners, Latin Lawyer 250, Legal 500 and Who´s Who Legal. Ms. Rovi obtained an LL.B. in 1989 from the School of Law of the Universidad de Panama and holds a PH.D., in Private International Law from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain, in 1994 Ms. Rovi is admitted to practice law in the Republic of Panama.

Andres V. Mejia is an associate in the firm's Shipping and Admiralty Litigation and Ship Finance and Registration departments. Andres specializes in all aspects of maritime dispute resolution and claims, including collision, cargo, oil spill pollution, charter party disputes, and ship mortgage executions, among others. He also represents ship owners, charterers, and leading financial institutions on all types of registration options available under Panama flag and ship finance structures, including ship mortgages and pledge of shares of Panama ship-owning companies. In addition, Andres advises clients on the sale and purchase transactions of vessels, including negotiation and closing of MOAs and on ship finance projects. He is also actively engaged in the licensing process for companies interested in starting maritime auxiliary businesses in the Republic of Panama. Andres is also involved in the pro bono activities of the firm. He constantly participates as a volunteer and Legal Advisor to Fundamorgan and its Community Legal Assistance Program. Andres obtained a Master's in Admiralty and Maritime Law at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans as a recipient of the Tulane Alumni Association of Panama Scholarship and an LL.B. from the Law School of Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua in Panama. He also has an LL.B. in Maritime Business Administration with emphasis in Ports and Multimodal Transportation from Universidad del Istmo. He is the author of "Panama Ship Registry, 100 Years Serving the Maritime Community", a publication winner of the Tulane Maritime Law Society and the law firm Maynard Cooper & Gale Admiralty Writing Competition. Andres is a member of the Board of Directors of the Panama Maritime Law Association and is admitted to practice law in the Republic of Panama.

Francisco J. Linares F., BA (Phil. & Econ./PPE), JD (cum laude), is a Partner at Morgan & Morgan and currently serves in the Maritime Litigation practice group of the firm. Mr. Linares is admitted to practice law in the Republic of Panama. Mr. Linares career includes more than 20 years of experience in all aspects of maritime dispute resolution and claims at the Maritime Courts of Panama, dealing with collisions, cargo claims, oil spills and pollution, charter party disputes, personal injury, maritime liens, marine insurance claims, ship mortgage executions, among others. His client portfolio includes shipowners, P&I Clubs, charterers, bunker traders, hull and cargo underwriters, banks and other shipping interests. Mr. Linares is a current member of National Bar Association of Panama and of the Panama Maritime Law Association. Through the years, Mr. Linares has held various positions in the Board of Directors the Panama Maritime Law Association, formed part of important commissions in it dealing with law reform, and was its President for two consecutive terms, from 2017 to 2019. Mr. Linares has given lectures on Panamanian Maritime Law in various international venues, ranging from Asia, Europe and the Americas. He has provided comments on current topics on Panama’s maritime sector and law in international publications, such as Marine Money International and Market Intelligence. Chambers and Partners have recognized Mr. Linares as a leading individual in Shipping-Litigation. Mr. Linares has taught Maritime Law at the Universidad Santa María La Antigua’s Law School, and has been a member of that Law School’s Board of Advisors. Mr. Linares holds a BA degree from the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, US), in Philosophy and Economics, with a concentration in PPE (1992). He also holds Juris Doctor degree (with honors) from Tulane University Law School (Louisiana, US), specializing in Maritime Law (1996). Additionally, Mr. Linares holds a diploma on IMO Conventions from the Universidad Marítima Internacional de Panamá (2010).

Luis G. Raven is currently a Partner at Morgan & Morgan and serves in the Maritime Litigation practice group of the firm since 2007. Luis advises in all aspects of maritime dispute resolution and claims including collision, cargo, oil spill pollution, charter party disputes, and ship mortgage executions, among others. Mr. Raven client portfolio includes shipowners, P&I Clubs, charterers, hull and cargo underwriters, banks and other shipping interests. Prior to joining Morgan & Morgan, Luis obtained experience as a Summer Law Clerk for Frilot, LLC in New Orleans and as a part time Law Clerk for the Assistant Attorney General of the Maryland Port Administration, United States of America. In addition, before becoming an attorney, Luis worked on merchant vessels and as a marine superintendent at the Port of Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Raven obtained a B.S. in Logistics and Intermodal Transportation (Cum Laude) from the United States Merchant Marine Academy (2002) and a J.D. with a Certificate in Maritime and Admiralty Law from Tulane University (2007). He is a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States and the Maritime Law Association of Panama. Luis is admitted to practice law in the Republic of Panama and in the State of New York, U.S.A.