Midshipmen-X&Y vs. Maersk: Shipping Giant Lawyers-Up, Hires One of World’s Largest Law Firms
New York, NY
By: MLAA
According to public documents available on the New York State Courts Electronic Docket, Danish shipping giant Maersk has hired one of the world’s largest and most expensive law firms to defend the company in a pair of lawsuits brought against the company by the two young women known throughout the shipping industry as “Midshipman-X” and “Midshipman-Y.”
According to the public court docket, Midshipman-X&Y are represented by attorney J. Ryan Melogy of the law firm Maritime Legal Solutions, PLLC, while Maersk is being represented by Melissa C. Rodriguez, a partner in the New York office of global law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.
According to Rodriguez’s firm bio, she specializes in advising her clients “on the full spectrum of labor and employment law matters,” including “class and collective action litigation.”
Rodriguez’s bio also states that her clients “hail from sectors including the retail, insurance, transportation, food services, and financial services industries.” It’s unclear if this is the first time Rodriguez has ever represented a shipping company.
In 2021 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP was named as one of the “Top 10 Global Litigation Firms” by The Lawyer Magazine. Morgan Lewis has also been cited as one of the 10 largest law firms in the world.
According to Wikipedia, Morgan Lewis employs more than 2,000 lawyers in 31 offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Morgan Lewis also represents "three-quarters of the Fortune 100 companies.” Firm revenues were $2.45 billion in 2020.
The Honorable Danielle M. Peterson has been assigned to hear both cases.