VENTKER HENDERSON - Key Persons
Licensed in both Virginia and North Carolina, Dave is a regular member on the list of Virginia Super Lawyers, Dave has been selected by his peers as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Virginia for several years now. He has been honored as a member of Virginia's "Legal Elite" by Virginia Business Magazine. He has earned an "AV" peer-review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, earned by only the top 10% of practicing lawyers in the United States. And, most recently, Dave Ventker was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© for his work in admiralty and maritime law.
Marissa Henderson has been selected as a Virginia Super Lawyer and a Virginia Influential Woman of Law for 2020 by Virginia Lawyer's Weekly. Along with Dave Ventker, Marissa is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial honorary society composed of less than one-half percent of lawyers in the United States. Marissa is a Proctor in Admiralty (as designated by the Maritime Law Association of the United States), and she typically represents shipowners and maritime operators such as marinas and marine terminals, and their insurers, in litigation matters. Additionally, Marissa advises businesses regarding contracting, charter parties, Jones Act compliance, commercial disputes, and managing risk, especially in the maritime arena.
Marissa's practice focuses on a variety of matters, including vessel collisions, marine terminal liability defense, contract disputes, maritime personal injury and wrongful death defense (Jones Act), and insurance coverage litigation. She is an experienced trial attorney at both the trial court and appellate level.
Marissa is active in various maritime organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Maritime Association, where she also co-chairs the Membership Committee. Marissa further serves as former Chair of the Inland Waters and Towing Committee for Maritime Law Association of the United States.