Spanish treasure battle to be fought here

By Lindsey Kelly - Bizjournals

An internationally watched deep-sea treasure case, set to be heard in federal appeals court in Atlanta this March, is a good example of why shipwreck salvage companies don’t leave port without their attorneys.

The “Black Swan” case centers on a $500 million undersea treasure — 17 tons of silver coins and other artifacts found off the Atlantic coast of Spain in 2007. The treasure was discovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc.

The stunning legal entanglements that can arise from these types of recovery cases is why Odyssey Marine Exploration’s board of directors is chaired by Emory...