Washington Maritime Lawyers

Picking the wrong maritime lawyer can be like drowning in a bath tub of salt water.But salt water runs through my veins. Being born in Seattle, My first salt water job as a longshoreman and ILWU membership starting at age 16. This was long before containerization and when longshoreman carried steel hooks for grabbing boxes, and the entire waterfront was controlled by the ILWU. I walked picket lines during strikes and learned what living without a wage means.I beame a lawyer after seeing what employer union busting looked like and how marine employers out-gunned and out lawyerd workers in...

Mr. Margulies is board certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in Admiralty and Maritime Law. To achieve this status, Mr. Margulies had to demonstrate a substantial background in handling maritime cases and maritime law continuing legal education. In addition, Mr. Margulies was rigorously evaluated by the board as to character, ethics, and reputation for professionalism and was required to pass a written examination on all areas of admiralty and maritime law.

Seattle attorney Chris Davis has spent the last 20+ years “leveling the playing field” between accident victims and insurance companies. He is passionately devoted to advancing and perfecting trial techniques and communication strategies on behalf of injured victims and their families. Mr. Davis has won numerous and notable jury verdicts against individuals insured by big insurance companies such as Allstate, Farmers, Encompass, Geico, State Farm and Mutual of Enumclaw. He is recognized by his peers, and various professional organizations and legal publications as being a very creative and accomplished lawyer in the field of personal injury law.

Adam Deitz is a maritime personal injury attorney licensed to practice law in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, New York, and Connecticut. Adam is also a licensed mariner with experience navigating commercial passenger vessels on both coasts. He is proud to use his years of experience to represent individuals who were injured on or around the navigable waters of the United States, including Jones Act seamen, vessel passengers, longshoremen, and recreational boaters.

Edward Le has litigated, tried, and settled personal injury cases for over 20 years, recovering over 30 millions for his clients. He is Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial Law, a distinction at the national level for attorneys who have tried numerous cases within a practice area and whose skills is recognized by peers and judges [Washington State does not recognize legal specialties]. There are currently less than 6 lawyers in Washington who have achieved Board Certification. He is also AV rated, the highest distinction given to an attorney by other lawyers...

Charles R. Lipcon has represented victims of cruise ship personal injury and cruise line sexual assault and claims for more than 50 years. His firm, Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., has successfully handled more than 3,000 cases and recovered well over $500 million on behalf of their clients. Mr. Lipcon was named "Lawyer of the Year" in Admiralty & Maritime by US News & World Report (Miami) in 2020 and his firm is named to "Best Law Firms" by US News & World Report. Mr. Lipcon and his firm can assist with the following types of accidents and injuries: - Cruise...

Arnold I. Berschler's accomplishments are:
Proctor Member of the Maritime Law Association of the United State, and a California Certified Legal Specialist in Admiralty and Maritime Law.
Lead attorney in published opinions emanating from the Ninth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals, and from the State of California Court of Court of Appeals.
Litigates cases in the state and federal court level.
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Michael A. Winkleman is one of the nation’s top maritime lawyers. An active trial and appellate attorney, Mr. Winkleman is also a frequent contributing expert on maritime and cruise ship law. He has made more than 100 national television appearances regarding cruise ship law, including The Today Show, Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, 20/20, Inside Edition, OutFront with Erin Burnett, Fox News Channel’s ‘American’s Newsroom,’ ‘Fox & Friends,’ ‘America Live,’ ‘Happening Now,’ ‘Justice with Judge Jeanine’; and ‘Imus in the Morning.’ Mr. Winkleman has received numerous honors and accolades in recognition of his contributions to the field of maritime law

Over the past four plus decades, Michael John Tario has become one of the most highly respected and experienced practicing personal injury attorneys in Washington State. He opened his Bellingham practice in 1979, followed by his Mount Vernon office in 1988, and has earned the respect of his peers and the gratitude of the clients he has helped as shown by his many awards, reviews, and high ratings. Mr. Tario practices plaintiff personal injury law with a passion for negotiating the maximum possible settlement for his injured clients. During his career, Mr. Tario and his legal team have successfully represented...

Nick is a trial attorney that joined Anderson Carey & Williams in 2015. Appearing for defendants and plaintiffs in federal and state courts throughout California, Arizona, Washington and other jurisdictions, Nick's litigation experienced includes successful resolutions of various Jones Act, food contamination, constructions defect, insurance bad faith, and product liability cases on behalf of many different businesses and individuals. Nick grew up in New Jersey and after highschool he attended New York University for undergraduate studies in music and business. After he graduated in 2007 with honors from NYU he moved over to Virginia for law school and attended...

Firm founder Larry Lehmbecker was raised in Renton, Washington. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1983 and University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco in 1986. Upon graduation, Larry decided he wanted to serve the people with whom he grew up. He moved back to the Seattle area and opened a general law practice providing legal services such as family law, estate planning, small business consulting, personal injury and workers’ compensation. However, he soon learned that the work he found most compelling was representing people who were injured in accidents. Often in desperate need...

I started working on personal injury cases just before my last year of law school. I was fortunate to work as an intern for a solo-practitioner, and learned all that I could in my time there, assisting with personal injury cases from intake to completion. This crash course in personal injury was unlike any class in law school. I learned how to work with and advocate for my clients. I’m thankful for the guidance and collegiality I received early on in my career and will pay it forward. After graduating from Gonzaga School of Law in 1997, I continued handling personal...

Lanning M. Trueb has spent almost 30 years representing seamen in plaintiff maritime cases arising throughout the North Pacific; including waters off Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Russia. In addition to practicing maritime law, Lanning owned and operated his own commercial fishing vessel in the Alaska commercial salmon fishery. Lanning has been involved in over a thousand maritime matters covering a wide range of maritime issues - from commercial fishing injury and death claims, to serious injury and death claims involving oil spill response, tug and barge, SERVS, off-shore supply, tankers, and cargo vessels. He's represented crew and family members...

Maritime Injury Lawyer James Beard has a unique understanding and compassion for the clients he represents. For 30 years his legal career has been devoted to representing crewmen and commercial fishermen who have been injured while working at sea. He is widely recognized as one of the most experienced maritime injury lawyers in the Pacific Northwest in handling maritime wrongful death and personal injury cases. He has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for his clients located throughout the United States.

Beard begins each maritime injury case by making sure that his clients are getting the proper medical treatment and care...

Jacqueline Garcell is a senior partner and active trial attorney in maritime law for Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. She routinely handles passengers’ personal injury, sexual assault and wrongful death claims, as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. Ms. Garcell is the fastest attorney to ever make partner at the firm, having been promoted to the partner position after being with us for a decade. Ms. Garcell has helped settle hundreds of cases on behalf of both cruise ship passengers and crew members. She achieved one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in Florida in 2017 — this rare and...

As a child, Doug Williams spent a good amount of the time when he wasn't in school on the cruise lines, where his father was the chief medical officer. These experiences gave him the knowledge and passion he needed to pursue a career in maritime law. After graduating magna cum laude at Florida State University and earning his Juris Doctorate, Doug accepted a position with a leading maritime law firm in Tampa, Florida. Here, he handled commercial disputes and the defense of casualty lawsuits. In 2011, Doug and his wife relocated to Seattle, Washington, where Doug joined a Seattle maritime...

David Anderson has assisted hundreds of seamen and their families to secure fair compensation for injuries at sea, as well as for those who have lost loved ones to sunken vessels. His decades of experience in the admiralty law field have made him a respected name in the industry. As a native of Seattle, Dave spent his childhood on docks and shores. He learned to take the helm of sail and powerboats from an early age, and he has owned a wide variety of vessels. Dave attended Stanford University before earning his J.D. at the University of Michigan School...

Zachary Herschensohn earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Washington University in 1997.

After graduation, he enrolled in law school at New York City's St. Johns University, where he was a member of moot court and named a finalist in the James F. Niehoff trial competition.

Earning his law degree, he relocated back to his hometown, Seattle, Washington, and began working for the firm of Levinson Friedman. Mr. Herschensohn later worked as an associate for the Law Offices of Gregory F. Logue. In 2004, he joined the national law firm of Brayton Purcell where he litigated on behalf of...

As an attorney who has personally experienced the pain, anxiety, and distress of a personal injury (see Rob’s story), I assure you that I understand the challenges you and your family may now face. For more than 30 years I have been helping people just like you navigate the legal system to recover the compensation you deserve and to recover reimbursement of medical bills, lost wages and other compensation.

A native Miamian, Marc earned his undergraduate degree from American University in Washington D.C. graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. He attended law school at Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, FL. While in law school, Marc earned the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award and studied abroad at Nankai University located in Tianjin, China. The semester abroad allowed Marc to have a wider outlook on life and appreciate cultural differences which has come in handy when working with clients. After graduating from law school, Marc has practiced in state courts throughout Florida and...

Geoffrey Probst is a new and prized addition to Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. While only recently joining LM&W, attorney Probst brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the firm, having specialized in admiralty and maritime law for over 17 years. Attorney Probst has extensive experience in representing both plaintiffs and defendants in legal actions involving injured or deceased passengers and crew members in cruise ship accidents. In his earlier career, he was the senior in-house litigator for a major cruise line. Having worked on both sides of these claims gives attorney Probst a unique advantage when representing accident...

Alex Perez is an active litigator licensed to practice law in all Florida Federal and State Courts, including Appellate Courts. Mr. Perez also routinely handles International Arbitrations pending in countries all over the world. Mr. Perez has secured millions of dollars for his clients. Mr. Perez primarily represents passengers injured on cruise ships, crewmembers injured on cruise ships, cargo vessels, oil tankers and other commercial sea going vessels, and handles a variety of recreational marine cases involving yachts, pleasure boats and jet skis. Before starting his practice, Mr. Perez attended Tulane University Law School where he pursued a course of study in...

Elizabeth Irazabal is a litigation attorney handling cruise ship passenger personal injury claims and crewmember claims as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. She is dedicated to providing exceptional service and representation to the firm’s clients throughout all stages of the litigation process. “When clients call for our help, they seek answers and guidance. My driving passion is to be the voice for our clients to help them feel whole again.” Elizabeth was born and raised in Miami, Florida and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Central Florida earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies. While completing her...

Daniel Grammes is a litigation attorney, handling passengers’ personal injury claims, crewmember claims, wrongful death claims, product liability claims, as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. He is dedicated to providing exceptional service and ensuring that every client is treated like a valued member of the firm’s family. Daniel graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. Thomas University School of Law with his Juris Doctorate degree. He graduated in the top 5% of his class. While in law school he obtained Dean’s List Awards for every semester. In addition, he received the CALI Award for Excellence for his performance and mastery of...

Stefanie Black is a litigation attorney handling passengers’ personal injury claims and crewmember cases as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. She has experience in maritime personal injury litigation as well as cargo claims against ocean carriers in federal court. Ms. Black enjoys state and federal court practice with a history of countless successful trials. She is passionate about providing exceptional representation to the firm’s clients throughout all stages of the litigation process. Stefanie obtained her Juris Doctorate degree from Barry University School of Law and graduated in the top 18% of her class. While in law school, she received the...

Eliana Aklepi is a litigation attorney handling passenger personal injury, sexual assault, and crewmember cases. Eliana prioritizes working closely with clients, ensuring their stories are heard. Eliana’s undergraduate degree from Drexel University allowed her to work with artists, helping them avoid exploitative contracts. This work sparked her desire to fight corporations with abusive labor practices. Eliana received her law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. In law school, she focused her studies on international law and labor. Her interest in maritime law stems from her work in Cardozo Law School’s Human Rights and Atrocity Prevention Clinic, the only...

Ryan is an experienced trial attorney who has practiced extensively in Washington State’s Federal and State Courts. Ryan has successfully tried more than 130 civil cases in Washington superior courts. Prior to joining Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., Ryan was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington. As an Assistant Attorney General, Ryan represented Washington’s hospitals and Washington’s Special Commitment Center. As an Assistant Attorney General, Ryan worked extensively with victims of violent crime as well as with Washington’s medical and mental health workers. Ryan is also a veteran with the United States armed forces. Prior to becoming a lawyer,...

Nicolas Lipcon is a litigation attorney specializing in maritime personal injury cases, dedicated to advocating for individuals impacted by serious injuries at sea. Nicolas represents both passengers and crew members injured on cruise ships, pleasure boats, and commercial vessels, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights defended. He completed his legal education at Vanderbilt Law School, where he sharpened his litigation skills, focusing on trial preparation, discovery, depositions, and strategic case analysis. His legal experience, shaped by intensive law school training and summer associate positions, equipped him with a strong foundation in case strategy, client counseling, and meticulous pre-trial preparation—all...

Ashley E. Wentz is a litigation attorney handling passenger personal injury and crewmember cases. Ashley received her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. After graduating law school, Ashley practiced in the areas of family law and personal injury. Ashley handled numerous trials while practicing family law in Maryland ranging from custody, visitation, and child support disputes. After moving to Georgia, Ashley practiced in the field of personal injury, successfully resolving numerous personal injury cases. Upon relocating to Miami, Ashley found an interest in practicing Maritime law and has been practicing in this field for the past two...