No Longer ‘Bad Luck’ On Board

Carey M.E. Gephart

Law Firm: LeGros, Buchanan & Paul P.S. 

Background: I grew up in Alexandria, Minnesota, and attended the University of St. Thomas – Minnesota, double majoring in chemistry and biology. A patent attorney I knew in the chemistry field suggested I apply to law school. I obtained my J.D. from Drake University.

Entry to maritime law: I clerked for Judge Mark W. Bennett, chief judge of the Northern District of Iowa. Thereafter, my husband (then active-duty Army) got orders to Fort Lewis. I had no connections in Washington, so I sent applications to pretty much everyone. LeGros offered me a position and I’ve never looked back. The firm focuses on maritime law and trained me from the ground up.

Mentors: Judge Bennett taught me how to be a student of the law, hold myself to a standard of excellence, and navigate the court systems. David Bratz, an attorney with LeGros, held those same standards of excellence for his clients and showed me how to transform them into advocacy.

Challenges: I still encounter what I call “men’s room mediation,” which is probably not unique to maritime law, but happens when a male attorney and a male mediator will have case-related conferences in places like the “men’s room”—and exclude women. It can make you feel like you’re not getting a fair shake with the mediator.

Best facets of maritime practice: The three Cs: clients, complexity, and colleagues. Our clients are hardworking people who come from all walks of life. Maritime law is ancient and complex, never boring. And last but definitely not least, the collegiality of the maritime bar. 

Most memorable sea story: I once met a vessel in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, relative to an incident in the freezer hold. This required participating in active offload, and repeatedly moving and positioning frozen product cases (weighing 45-55 pounds) to analyze different scenarios, which took two to three hours.  As I left the vessel the foreman and captain commented on how they “could not believe” an attorney had been down there working alongside the crew. When I arrived back home in Seattle, I was surprised to find a full case of halibut from the vessel on my doorstep.

Quote from mentor: “Before we hired Carey, we received a letter of recommendation from the U.S. District Court judge for whom she was clerking, stating that LeGros would find itself honored to be on Carey’s résumé. The judge was correct: We are more than honored. Not only is she an excellent lawyer, but Carey is also a gracious, hardworking, humorous, and thoughtful colleague. My professional life is better for sharing it with her.” — Eric McVittie, LeGros, Buchanan & Paul P.S.

Website: www.legros.com/people/carey-gephart 

Molly Henry 

Law Firm: Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, P.C.

Background: I grew up in Anacortes. I went to Smith College in Massachusetts. Then I lived in Boston, worked as a French translator, and considered entering the Peace Corps. My husband was interested in law school and encouraged me. I applied and attended Ohio State University (Moritz) College of Law.

Entry to maritime law: I knew I wanted to return to Washington. I ultimately accepted an offer at Keesal, Young & Logan in Seattle. I had no sights on maritime law, but KYL had a strong maritime practice so I fell into it. I transitioned to Schwabe in 2018, but my practice remains maritime.

Mentors: Philip Lempriere and Bob Bocko were my mentors at KYL, and I continue to work with Philip at Schwabe. I was lucky to be in a small office of a mid-size firm and we worked on everything as a team. It was collaborative, and doors were always open. I was given real responsibility early on; for example, I argued a Ninth Circuit appeal as a second-year associate. 

Best facets of maritime practice: It’s a tight-knit community, which lends itself to a level of respect and collegiality.

Most memorable sea story: One of my first onboard vessel inspections was to investigate the death of a crewmember. It was an international vessel and the crewmember had died several weeks before the vessel returned to port, so the body got stored in the freezer for preservation. We were invited to dine on the vessel with the captain, on a meal presumably prepared from the same freezer. I was taught never to turn down crew hospitality, so we accepted, but all I could think about was where the food had come from.

Quote from mentor: “Molly possesses a multitude of critical strengths: She’s whip smart, ruthlessly efficient, a keen analytical thinker, masterful writer, pragmatic, unfailingly professional, and a stellar colleague. Molly takes ownership of her cases, sweats the details, and resolutely drives each case to the best possible outcome for the client in trial and appellate courts. Clients love her because she communicates effectively and vigorously advocates for their best interests. Molly is, in a word, magnificent.” — Philip Lempriere, Schwabe

Website: www.schwabe.com/professional/molly-henry/ 

Barbara Holland 

Law Firm: Collier Walsh Nakazawa LLP

Background: I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I went to Cornell University for a year, finished my undergrad at Wake Forest University, and attended Harvard Law School.

Entry to maritime law: I became interested in international shipping and all things maritime before law school. I decided to practice maritime law on the West Coast and only interviewed with firms in San Francisco and Seattle. I had no contacts on the West Coast and had never been to either city, but once I saw Seattle, I was immediately taken with it as a place to live and practice. I accepted a position at Garvey Schubert Barer [now Foster Garvey PC], where I was a partner and headed up the maritime practice for over 30 years. At the end of 2019, I joined Collier Walsh Nakazawa. I also serve as general counsel for Nichols Brothers Boat Builders and its affiliates, and just completed two years as president of the Maritime Law Association of the U.S.

Mentors: I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing people. Stan Barer was a key figure in the Seattle maritime world, particularly with regard to maritime policy and U.S.-China trade. Mike Garvey is a visionary in the world of maritime business. Bruce King was a terrific colleague and mentor on the transactional side. These are just a few of the wonderful colleagues I had the pleasure of working with; it would be impossible to name them all. 

Challenges: Shipping is a traditionally male-dominated industry. I was certainly questioned along the way. Early on I had a client tell me that women didn’t belong in maritime law. I had opposing counsel tell me the same. These experiences just cemented my resolve to keep on moving forward. My colleagues at the firm were very supportive of me. The reality is that in this area you do have to prove that you know something about the industry, that you belong at the table, and that your opinion and advice matter. 

Best facets of maritime practice: The people that you get to meet, learn from, and work with are a highlight. It is an international practice, and the complexities of the legal issues are also particularly interesting.

Quote from mentor: “I met Barbara several years ago. When you are with her, she really listens to what you have to say, and you feel like her top priority. She juggles an extraordinary amount of demands on her time, because she is committed to the success of everyone she cares about. Barbara is clearly brilliant, yet she is humble and down to earth with everyone she meets. She is warm and thoughtful, remembering what is important to her colleagues and friends.” — Rear Admiral Melissa Bert, U.S. Coast Guard (ret.)

Website: www.cwn-law.com/barbara-holland2

Marissa Olsson

Law Firm: Kraft Davies Olsson 

Background: I grew up in Edmonds and went to the University of Washington for both undergraduate and law school.

Entry to maritime law: I interned with the predecessor to my current firm during law school. Maritime law was not on my radar before that, but I really enjoyed it and stuck with it. I chose the plaintiff side of the bar because I like helping people and working to make their lives better.

Mentors: Rob Kraft and Rick Davies have been mentors to me throughout my career. They put so much time and energy into showing me how to be an effective advocate for my clients, how to put a case together, and how to approach certain issues. They taught me when to fight and when to be pragmatic.

Challenges: As a female practitioner, I take offense to having zealous advocacy labeled as “emotional” or some other gendered term. It’s unfortunate, but it continues to happen.

Best facets of maritime practice: Maritime cases often come down to complex legal issues, which is an opportunity for me to focus on the quality of my writing and oral advocacy. Nothing is cookie cutter in this area of the law. The quality of your work speaks more than your showmanship.

Most memorable sea story: I had a very hard-fought case where I represented a crab fisherman who suffered severe injuries on a boat. On the plaintiff side, you have the opportunity to form real relationships with your clients because you are involved in their personal life as a matter of necessity. I still keep in touch with that client.

Quote from mentor: “Marissa is extremely intelligent and knows the law as well or better than most lawyers. She is caring and empathetic with clients, who greatly appreciate having her as their counsel.” — Rob Kraft, Kraft Davies Olsson

Website: www.admiralty.com/lawyers/marissa-a-olsson/ 

Michelle Buhler 

Law Firm: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP), LLP

Background: I grew up in the Bellevue/Issaquah area. I attended Seattle University as an undergrad and then the University of Washington School of Law.

Entry to maritime law: As a freshman at Seattle U, I decided I wanted a job and got hired as a file clerk at Levinson Friedman, a maritime personal injury firm. Through my experience working there, I decided to become an attorney, and while in law school pursued my interest in maritime law.

Mentors: Upon graduating, I was hired by Danielson, Harrigan, Smith and Tollefson. The firm’s maritime partners, Dave Danielson and Val Tollefson, were both instrumental in my professional development, giving me case responsibility early on and providing consistent and thoughtful constructive criticism throughout my years as a young lawyer. They also included me in business development endeavors, which helped me build relationships with the firm’s clients and the maritime community at large. 

Challenges: There are very few women maritime attorneys, and this was particularly true when I started practicing; I was usually the only woman attorney on a case. Early in my practice, women attorneys were viewed with a certain degree of skepticism, especially by superstitious seamen who believed women brought bad luck to vessels. I had to work a little harder than my male counterparts to earn their trust. 

Best facets of maritime practice: Although maritime law is a specialized area of the law, it is broad in scope. I like the variety of issues I encounter day to day, and the collegiality of the maritime bar, which makes the practice of law more enjoyable.

Most memorable sea story: Probably the most interesting matter I’ve worked on involved the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching group focused on marine conservation that was featured in the Animal Planet documentary series Whale Wars. The case, which related to the Japanese whaling industry, was factually intriguing and presented novel maritime law issues, including piracy.

Quote from mentor: “Michelle has many exceptional qualities that contribute to her success as a maritime lawyer, including fearlessness, a highly developed sense of fair play, but above all an extraordinary attention to detail. I can’t tell you how many times the complexion of a seemingly impossible case has altered, even by 180 degrees, based on some fact Michelle gleaned spending hours poring over a case file.” — Charles (“Chip”) S. Jordan, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLP

Website: www.harriganleyh.com/attorney/michelle-buhler/

Svetlana P. Spivak

Law Firm: Holmes Weddle & Barcott

Background: I was born in the Soviet Union, in what is now Ukraine. I studied mechanical engineering at the Lviv Polytechnic University and came to the U.S. with my parents as refugees in 1993. From there I attended the University of Washington for undergraduate business school and then law school.

Entry to maritime law: I was hired by LeGros Buchanon & Paul after completing a year of clerkship at Snohomish County Superior Court. I knew nothing about maritime law when I started. I got a few treatises from the library and read them before my first day so I would look like I knew what I was talking about.

Mentors: Eric McVittie at LeGros took me under his wing and showed me how to do discovery, draft pleadings, and take depositions. LeGros had a very good system for training associates and Eric put extra effort into helping me.

Challenges: When I first started handling maritime cases, I had the sense from some of my clients that they were insecure with a woman handling their case. There were numerous instances where a client would bypass me and go to a male partner with questions or concerns on the cases I was handling. That has gotten much better with time and as more women enter the field.

Best facets of maritime practice: I love the travel. My maritime practice has taken me to Spain, American Samoa, New Zealand, the Marshall Islands, Norway, England, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Ecuador, and Uruguay, not to mention all over the U.S.

Most memorable sea story: We get the wildest fact patterns. I had a case where a crewmember claimed he fell out of his bunk and sustained injuries but sued more than 10 years later claiming PTSD from the injury had made him forget about it. I spent a week in Texas deposing doctors about whether that was even medically possible.

Quote from mentor: “Svetlana is a tireless advocate who understands the needs of maritime businesses. She will hop on a flight to South America on a moment’s notice to tend to a client’s pressing concerns.” — Michael Barcott, Holmes Weddle & Barcott

Website: www.hwb-law.com/svetlana-spivak/ 

Anusha Pillay 

Law Firm: Collier Walsh Nakazawa LLP

Background: I grew up in Indiana and attended the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana for both undergrad and law school. In between those degrees, I worked for a few years as a property-casualty insurance underwriter at CNA in Chicago.

Entry to maritime law: I always dreamed of moving to the West Coast. Every time I visited it just felt right and like home. When a midsize California firm interviewed at my law school, I connected with them and was offered a position. My first five years of practice, I litigated in Los Angeles. Then I took time off to travel overseas. Upon returning, I set my sights on Seattle and ultimately accepted a position with Cozen O’Connor. It was there that I was first introduced to maritime law—through insurance coverage work. I moved to Collier Walsh Nakazawa (CWN) in 2022 where I now practice maritime law (or represent maritime industry clients) almost exclusively. So, a non-linear path of luck, sweat, and a little risk.

Mentors: Bill Walsh at Cozen, and Joseph Walsh and Barbara Holland at CWN. Bill is a tremendous litigator and inspired me to hold myself and my work to the highest standards. Joe and Barbara are heavy hitters in maritime law for a reason, and I’ve learned a great deal from them in only two years.

Best facets of maritime practice: Undoubtedly, the people. Whether in Seattle or across the globe, it’s a tight-knit, collegial group that really cares about and takes pride in this industry. And the maritime practice has truly historic and international breadth.

Quote from mentor: “Anusha possesses all the qualities of an outstanding lawyer—she is a strong advocate for her clients, her tenacious work ethic is inspiring, and she is fabulously intelligent. Aside from her being a great lawyer, she is a great leader and mentor. Anusha understands that success in this industry is a team sport and her ability to teach and lead with excellence is truly remarkable.” — Caroline Wilson, Collier Walsh Nakazawa

Website: www.cwn-law.com/anusha-pillay

Katie Matison

Law Firm: Lane Powell PC
(firm is combining with Ballard Spahr as of Jan. 1, 2025)

Background: I’m from New Orleans and Miami. I obtained all of my degrees—undergraduate, J.D., and LL.M. in Admiralty—from Tulane. 

Entry to maritime law: I practiced for six years as a felony prosecutor in Mississippi before my husband and I relocated to Seattle. I joined Lane Powell and have been practicing maritime law ever since.

Mentors: I worked a lot with Mark Beard, Rivers Black, Bob Israel, and Mark Johnson. Who you work with changes as time goes on, but just by talking with these people about how to approach an issue I learned so much. Mark Beard once told me that if you don’t feel appreciated or enjoy the people you work with then you won’t want to stay. Lane Powell has been a terrific place to work, and I’ve been here for 32 years.

Challenges: I think women in this field of law can be underestimated. Upending those preexisting ideas about how a woman practices maritime law can be an advantage.

Best facets of maritime practice: We have the opportunity to work with people from around the world and to interpret international treaties and conventions. I think that’s something that is unique to this practice.

Most memorable sea story: Every year I provide maritime updates at the Association of Transportation Law Professional annual meetings. About 10 years ago, I presented on hijackings and piracy attack data affecting the industry. The crowd was completely engaged. There are so many interesting facets to this area of the law.

Quote from mentor: “Katie is a pro’s pro. She has excellent technical and substantive knowledge, is a proven court room advocate, and is an extremely hard worker. More importantly, Katie is a very good person and is a pleasure to be around.” — Mark Beard, Lane Powell PC

Website: www.lanepowell.com/Our-People/Katie-Matison