Dr. Brian McNamara 

2023 Distinguished Faculty Award

Introduction

Dr. Brian McNamara is an American attorney, public administration scholar, and retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander. He specializes in maritime law, public policy, and emergency governance. He serves as a full-time Professor of Practice and Associate Director of the John Lewis Public Administration Program at the Tulane University School of Professional Advancement (SoPA).

Academic Background & Credentials

Dr. McNamara holds an extensive multi-disciplinary academic background spanning law, government, and public sector management:

  • BS in Government: Graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
  • Juris Doctor (JD): Earned his law degree from the William & Mary School of Law.
  • Master of Laws (LLM) in Admiralty: Completed advanced maritime legal training at the Tulane University Law School.
  • MPA & PhD in Public Administration and Policy: Earned both graduate degrees from Old Dominion University.

Military & Legal Career

Before transitioning full-time into academia, Dr. McNamara completed a 25-year active duty career with the United States Coast Guard, retiring at the rank of Commander. His military and legal portfolio included:

  • Maritime Operations: Began his career as a Deck Watch Officer, navigating cutters for North Atlantic fisheries enforcement and Caribbean counter-narcotics patrols.
  • Legal Leadership: Served as a Judge Advocate and chief of the Coast Guard's marine safety law practice group. He advised senior leaders on vessel inspections, casualty investigations, and served on U.S. delegations to the International Maritime Organization.
  • Military Justice: Appointed by the Judge Advocate General to serve as a collateral duty court-martial trial judge from 2017 to 2020.

Research & Domain Expertise

At Tulane University, Dr. McNamara teaches public administration theory and maritime regulation. His research and legal analysis focus heavily on the intersection of local community infrastructure and global supply chains. Notably, he has analyzed post-Katrina regional reforms, looking closely at the governance and accountability of Louisiana levee boards.

He continues to practice law through his firm, Brian McNamara Law PLLC, helping advocacy and maritime organizations manage regulatory and environmental risks. He also contributes to global search-and-rescue coordination frameworks as a Senior Fellow for the Center for Ocean Policy & Economics.

Challenges in Submersible Maritime Law

The collapse of the Titan submersible sparked inquiries into maritime regulations. Admiralty law, governing sea activities, faces a dilemma with emerging submersibles that do not fit the conventional ship definition.

The U.S. Coast Guard had lead the inquiry into Titan's loss en route to the wreckage of the RMS Titanic, along with the National Transportation Safety Board under the Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation.

McNamara speculates, "I think it remains to be seen, ultimately, whether this incident will cause major changes in maritime public policy because this type of fact pattern remains very unique."