Dave Boyajian is a former captain who speaks the same language as his maritime clients. He brings an in-depth understanding of the industry to bear on both maritime transactions and litigation. ‎Dave’s marine experience helps him know where to look for creative solutions to uniquely salty problems. His courtroom experience informs how he shapes maritime contracts, and vice versa.

Dave assists vessel owners, operators and insurers, naval architects, and shipyards and shipbuilders with the specialty ‎contracts that keep their businesses working. When things get sideways, he handles all aspects of claims investigation, management and resolution. Dave’s litigation and ‎arbitration practice involves maritime personal injury matters (Jones Act, Longshore and Harbor ‎Workers' Act, and maintenance and cure), collision and allision cases, cargo claims, vessel arrest ‎and attachment, various other marine insurance and commercial disputes in state and federal courts, and representation of mariners in USCG suspension and revocation proceedings.  ‎His transactional practice involves charters, bills of lading, tariffs, vessel design and vessel build, and other maritime contracts. ‎Dave also represents design professionals and contractors in both land-based and marine ‎construction disputes.

Dave is a former U.S. Coast Guard licensed Master of Sail, Power, and Assistance Tow vessels. Before attending law school, he captained vessels up and down the Eastern Seaboard and throughout the Caribbean. He holds a certificate of specialization* in maritime law from the ‎Tulane Admiralty Law Center, the nation’s preeminent admiralty program.‎ 

^{* ‎“The Supreme Court of Washington does not recognize certification of specialties in the practice of law ‎and that the certificate, award, or recognition is not a requirement to practice law in the state of ‎Washington.”‎}

Bar Admissions

• Alaska State Courts
• Oregon State Courts 
• California State Courts
• Washington State Courts
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• United States District Court, Central District of California
• United States District Court, Eastern District of California
• United States District Court, Northern District of California
• United States District Court, Southern District of California
• United States District Court, District of Oregon
• United States District Court, Western District of Washington
• United States Supreme Court

Education

• University of Vermont, Bachelor of Arts degree (2001)
• Tulane University Law School, Juris Doctor degree (2008)

• Maritime Risks in the Age of COVID-19
• COVID-19: Updates for Vessels and P&I Clubs
• Maritime Operators: Check Your Cell Phone Policy
• OP-ED: Be Prepared When an Emergency Occurs

Seminar

• Breakfast with Schwabe: Marine Operations and Litigation Smorgasbord
• Shipping 201: The Movement of a Ship
• 2021 Maritime Law Update
• CRSOA Coffee & Chat: Ship Arrests
• Schwabe Safety Summit 2021: Taking Advantage of Structural Change to Embed Safety
• Maritime Law of Allision and Wake Damage: Port of Kalama Ship Wake Incident
• Webinar: Safe Berth Warranty and the Athos I Decision
• The Good, The Bad and The UGLY: A Panel Review of Recent Personal Injury Cases
• Traps for the Unwary Vessel Owner and Claim Professional
• Moderator, Schwabe Maritime Safety Summit
• “Shipping 201: The Business of Shipping – Maritime Law & Insurance,” Merchants Exchange of Portland, Oregon
• Crew Claim Traps for the Unwary: Minimizing Exposure from Hire to Resolution‎
• “Shipping 201: The Business of Shipping – Maritime Law & Insurance,” Merchants Exchange of Portland, Oregon