Attorney at Law; Proctor in Admiralty
Waters Law Firm
Maritime civil litigation focus, including a sub-practice of other personal injury law. Represents clients in all types of maritime claims, including Jones Act, Death on the High Seas Act, maintenance and cure, limitation of liability, general maritime law, and other injury claims. Also focuses on labor and employment law. Litigates in federal court nationally and Virginia state courts. Deborah Waters has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Maritime Law Association of the United States.
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY
MARSHALL-WYTHE SCHOOL OF LAW
Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy
2005 to present
Commissioner, Virginia Port Authority
Gubernatorial Appointment
July 2014 to present
Member of Limitation and Maritime Law Committee
Of the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee
In re: Oil Spill by the Deepwater Horizon in the
Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010
Multi-District Litigation, New Orleans, LA
EDUCATION:
Juris Doctor – 1988
Jessup International Moot Court
Old Dominion University
Political Science Student of the Year – 1985
Political Science Honor Society
BAR STATUS:
Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States
Admitted to all Virginia State Courts and U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia – 1988
Admitted to U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia 1999
Admitted to Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals – 1999
Admitted pro hac vice in U.S. District Courts outside of Virginia including
Seattle, New Orleans, Boston, Miami, Evansville, Baltimore
AWARDS AND HONORS:
Awarded by Virginia Lawyer’s Weekly and Virginia Medical Weekly
Martindale-Hubble AV Rating
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
Chair, Admiralty/Maritime Section 2009-2010
Member of Board of Directors, Admiralty Section
2006-present
Legislative Liaison, 2010 to 2012
Women’s Caucus Member
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
Chair, Paralegal Section, 2011 to 2012
Member CLE Committee since 1996
Virginia College of Trial Advocacy, Faculty 2007-2009
PAC Contributor
Women’s Caucus Member
Maritime Law Association of the United States
Proctor in Admiralty Status
Member of Stevedores, Marine Terminals and Vessel Services Committee
Member Marine Torts and Casualties Committee
Newsletter Editor
Member of Plaintiff’s Only Subcommittee of Martine Torts
Member of Stevedores, Marine Terminals and Vessel Services Committee
I’Anson-Hoffman American Inn of Court, Member since 1987
President, May 2012 to 2013
Vice-President, May 2011 to 2012
Treasurer, 2010 – 2011
Secretary, 2008-10
Member of Board of Directors, 2004 – present
Program Committee, Chair, 2004-2008
Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association, Member
Former Chair of Professionalism Committee
Suffolk Bar Association
Vice Chair 2009
Secretary/Treasurer 2008
Virginia Maritime Association, Member since 2011
Propeller Club of Norfolk, Member since 2011
Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Member since 2011
PUBLICATIONS, PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS
“Recovering for Your Client Who is Injured on Foreign Soil as Part of a Cruise, Tour or Expedition,” presented to Resort Torts Litigation Group, AAJ Annual Convention, Chicago, Illinois, July 29, 2012.
“BP Oil Spill and Its Impact on Maritime Law,” presentation, Propeller Club of Norfolk, Virginia, November 9, 2011.
“OPA Preemption in the BP Oil Spill Multi-district Litigation – Lessons Learned,” presentation, AAJ Annual Convention, CLE, New York, New York, July 10, 2011.
“Status of the BP Oil Spill Multi-district Litigation,” presentation to Marine Torts Committee, Maritime Law Association of the United States, May 5, 2011, New York.
“Character and Habit Evidence,” Evidence for the Trial Lawyer, Presentation for Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, CLE, October 24, 2010, Fairfax, Virginia.
“Status of Legislation Related to Admiralty and Maritime Issues Pending Before Congress“, 17th Annual Admiralty Symposium, New Orleans, Louisiana, September 25, 2010
Panelist for Louisiana State Bar Association
Questioned by U. S. Senate Commerce Committee as a result of BP Oil Spill issues; provided information related to amendment of Death on the High Seas Act, the Jones Act, Limitation of Liability Act and Oil Pollution Act; Washington, D.C., July 22, 2010.
AAJ Admiralty Section, Education Program Moderator, Annual Convention, Vancouver, Canada, 2010.
“Jones Act Seaman or Longshoreman: When Two Federal Laws Collide.” Presented to the Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy Group, AAJ Annual Convention, Vancouver, Canada, 2010.
“Potential Claimants and Recoverable Damages Including OPA 90”, Presented to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Litigation Group, AAJ Annual Convention, Vancouver, Canada, 2010.
“Ten Virginia Supreme Court Cases You Need to Fully Understand”, Norfolk, Virginia,
Panelist For Virginia College of Trial Advocacy by Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
“Law of Damages”
May 10, 2007 and May 24, 2007
“Marketing by Associate: Increasing the Bottom Line While Training Future Leaders”
ATLA Admiralty Section, Education Program Moderator, Annual Convention, Chicago, Illinois, 2007
“Wrongful Death Damages”
Author, chapter of The Law of Damages in Virginia, edited by Guilford Ware, published by Virginia CLE, 2000; Updated in 2003, 2005 and by The Law of Damages in Virginia, Second Ed., 2008.
Richmond, Virginia 2000, 2004
Falls Church, Virginia, 2000.
“Personal Injury Damages for Non-Physical Injuries”
Presentation to Virginia CLE Seminar, The Law of Damages in Virginia,
Norfolk, Virginia 2000, 2004.
“U. S. Supreme Court Maritime Cases Since 1990: Diamonds in the Rough”
Lawyers of America, National Convention
Montreal, Canada, July, 2005
“Sex Discrimination and Maritime Law: Does Preemption Exist?”
Lawyers of America, National Convention
Chicago, Illinois, 2000
“Handling Discrimination Cases: a Guide for Paralegals”
Roanoke, Virginia, 2002
“Inns of Court in London”
Presented with Philip Davey, 2004
“The Basics of Maritime Law”
Virginia Beach, Virginia, 1999
ANLIR annual ethics seminar; panel member, 2003.
