Gerard J Sullivan Jr.

Rod Sullivan began in the maritime industry at the age of 16, going to sea as an ordinary seaman.  He graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and spent a number of years at sea, earning licenses as a First Class Pilot, Third Mate, and Third Assistant Engineer. 

He is Board Certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in Maritime Law and is rated AV as  preeminent in the field of maritime law. 

For eight years he was a full time professor of law.  He has argued and won a case before the United States Supreme Court, and has  tried over 100 cases.

Rod Sullivan is a member of the Technology and Infrastructure Working Group of the FDOT study of  Autonomous, Automated and Connected Vehicles.  The group is studying the use of self-driving vehicles on roadways.   

Rod Sullivan appears frequently on national and international TV regarding maritime disasters such as the capsizing of the Costa Concordia, the sinking of the Korean ferry Sewol, and the capsizing of the Chinese passenger vessel Eastern Star.  The networks he has been on include CNN, CSPAN, CCTV and KBS, and on the radio on NPR.