Alan K. Goldstein has more than 35 years of experience as a trial, appellate and transactional lawyer in a broad variety of maritime, agribusiness and other commercial matters throughout the United States. 2020 afforded him the opportunity to return to the San Francisco Bay Area to service West Coast clients while maintaining an inland river practice for clients in the Midwest and the South, many of whom have retained him for decades.

An ALM Top Rated Litigator, Alan is listed in Best Lawyers (2001-present), in Super Lawyers (2005-present) and as AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell, the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards.

Alan has testified as an expert witness in federal litigation concerning the meaning and interpretation of bills of lading and other shipping documents. He is frequently called upon to address the legal aspects of doing business in U.S. ports and with port districts. He served multiple terms as a Senior Editorial Board Member of the CGL Reporter for the American Bar Association.

Clients seek his assistance not only as a litigator but also as a counselor and transactional lawyer given his breadth of experience and knowledge. Alan’s skill as a litigator enhances his capabilities as a counselor and transactional lawyer because he understands why commercial relationships sometimes lead to disputes, how careful drafting can avoid potential confusion and misunderstandings, and what steps need to be taken in contract negotiations and documentation to minimize legal risk. His related background as an insurance coverage lawyer lends an important additional perspective because insurance is central to managing risk in both transactions and dispute resolution.

Alan was appointed to the Lower Mississippi River Water Safety Advisory Committee, which advises the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard on issues of navigation safety, by both the Bush and Obama administrations.

Education

J.D. 1981  Stanford Law School | Order of the Coif
B.A. 1978  Northwestern University with Highest Distinction | Phi Beta Kappa

Career Highlights

1981-1982   Law Clerk, The Honorable Thelton E. Henderson, Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

1987-2020   Goldstein and Price, LC (member 1989 -2020) Saint Louis, Missouri

Recognition

• Named in “The Best Lawyers in America”
• Named as Super Lawyer in the fields of Transportation/Maritime and Insurance Coverage by Law & Politics
• AV-Rated by Martindale Hubbell (Top Rated Lawyer Award)
• ALM Top Rated Litigator

Published Works

• The Marine Insurance Doctrine of Uberrimae Fidei or Utmost Good Faith: Is it Archaic or Entrenched Federal Precedent? Co-Authored with Giles Howard. ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, The Brief, Spring 2017, Vol. 46, No. 3,
• Demystifying the Jones Act, St. Louis Bar Journal, Vol. LXIII, No. 4, 2016
• Recent Developments in Admirality and Maritime Law, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Co-Author, Fall, 2013
• To Sail or Not to Sail? Some Key Considerations Affecting Financiers, Owners and Operators of Water-Based Development Projects, (Co-Author), The St. Louis Bar Journal, Vol. 55, No. 2, 2008
• A Short History of Discovery, The Anglo-American Law Review, Vol. 10, No. 4, Oct.-Dec, 1981

Classes/Seminars Offered

• “Making the Law Work for 21st Century Ports,” Association of Pacific Ports, July 28, 2022
• “Social Media and the Waterways,” The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Maritime Law Seminar, 2017
• “Choosing the Right Commercial Structure for Your Marine Business: An Overview of Some Important Considerations”  Greater New Orleans Barge and Fleeting Seminar, 2017
• “The Marine Insurance Doctrine of Uberrimae Fidei or Utmost Good Faith: Is it Archaic or Entrenched Federal Precedent?”ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section’s Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, Midyear CLE Program, Toolbox Presentation, 2016
• “Environmental Liabilities in Real Estate Transactions,” National Business Institute, 2012
• “Maintaining an Ethical Practice,” one segment of “Civil Court Procedure and Strategy Boot Camp,” National Business Institute, 2012
• “Insurance Coverage in the 21st Century” (Seminar Chairman & Presenter) Lorman Education Services, 2008
• “Junk Faxes and Liability Insurance: Is There Coverage For a Novel Claim?” (Co-Author), National Business Institute, 2008
• “Discovery in Bad Faith Litigation” (Lecturer), National Business Institute, 2004 “Insurance Coverage Law: Third Party Coverage in Missouri” (Lecturer), National Business Institute, 1997

Associations

• Association of Pacific Ports
• Bar Association of San Francisco, including Admiralty and Maritime Law Committee, Pacific Admiralty Subsection, and Legal Ethics Committee
• Waterways Council, Inc.