Marissa M. Henderson

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT MARISSA M. HENDERSON

I help people in businesses, especially in the maritime and supply chain sector, solve problems and work to avoid them before they start. Building meaningful client relationships and adding value is always my goal. I find I can best achieve this in a “boutique” law firm with my partners, Dave Ventker and Steve Stancliff, who share my vision. While much of my time is spent in litigation, I love transactional work, whether salty or not, such as vessel financing. I am humbled to have been named an “Influential Woman of Law 2020” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. I also am AV-rated, and I have been named a Proctor in Admiralty by the US Maritime Law Association. I contribute time and efforts to the Virginia Maritime Association, the vibrant, collaborative trade group for the maritime and supply chain community in and near Virginia. Our clients are mainly maritime, fishing, and supply chain related businesses and their insurers.(We love the quirks of maritime law!) Our firm is strategically located in the port city of Norfolk, Virginia. We regularly handle and resolve business disputes of all kinds, liability defense, vessel casualties, maritime personal injury/wrongful death defense, inland marine/intermodal liability claims, and insurance coverage disputes. I have a particular interest in assessing contracts to reduce liabilities and avoid fights later. For example, I feel strongly about reducing Jones Act crew liability exposure (ie. jury exposure) with strategies to include claims arbitration agreements. We also represent foreign companies needing vessels in the US, so we “steer” them clear of Jones Act cabotage violations and advise on compliance. Also, form and long-used contracts, such as charter parties, often need customizing, updating, and a sharp eye for possible issues, so I often do contract “health checks.” Further, maritime contracts get the benefit of federal maritime law, so they can and should include various loss-shifting clauses, but we find they often do not. We also often find businesses do not have the insurance coverage they need after there is a big claim, so we offer an insurance review from a lawyer’s point of view.(We can read the fine print for you!) In sum, while I enjoy litigation and it is the staple of my practice, advising businesses is equally rewarding. I enjoy my off-the-clock time, too: the many adventures of raising triplet, teen girls with my husband, Heath, is a retired Marine Corps officer-turned high school teacher.