Royal Caribbean attorneys jumping ship to represent passengers

The site Cruise Law News reports that numerous defense lawyers for Royal Caribbean have left the company to become advocates—for passengers.

Robert Peltz and Carol Finklehoffe are the two latest attorneys to switch from defense to offense. They had built a reputation as fierce corporate defenders, particularly in cases involving the alleged rape and murder of passengers. One noted defense was of the 2005 disappearance of missing honeymooner George Smith on the Brilliance of the Seas. That cruise also involved the alleged rape and/or videotaping of a rape of a young woman by four men.

Both Peltz and Finklehoffe were said to wage a vicious defense against Smith’s family; Peltz ridiculed their lawsuit and called their claims baseless.

Royal Caribbean ended up settling for $1,300,000.

Peltz wrote the amicus briefs on behalf of the cruise industry for Carnival Corporation v. Carlisle, a landmark case where the Florida Supreme Court ruled that a cruise line is not liable for the malpractice of its doctor.

Finklehoffe became known for specializing in the defense of the accused in wrongful death and sexual assault cases.

Now both attorneys have joined Ira Leesfield’s firm. He bills himself as an advocate for cruise passengers. Both attorneys have followed the path of Jonathan Aronson, another former Carnival lawyer who left to represent passengers.

There are other attorneys who also left Royal Caribbean whose names were not disclosed in the report.