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Personal Narrative

Pamela Schultz is a partner in the San Francisco office. She specializes in admiralty and maritime law, transportation law, personal injury defense and insurance disputes. She also handles a variety of litigated matters involving international parties and cross-border disputes.

Pamela’s experience in admiralty and maritime litigation includes claims involving cargo, personal injury defense, recreational boating, product liability, charter parties, marine insurance, ship arrests and attachments, collisions and maritime liens. Her clients include London Underwriters, domestic insurers, protection and indemnity clubs and their members, vessel owners and charterers. Pamela frequently provides insurance coverage advice to both primary and excess marine insurers in the London and domestic market, and also defends insurers in litigation.

Pamela qualified and testified as an expert witness on United States maritime issues in foreign litigation.

With respect to insurance disputes, Pamela represents insurers in the London, international and domestic markets, by providing coverage advice to insurers as well as defending coverage and bad faith lawsuits. Given her defense background, Pamela also frequently provides advice to insurers relating to policy limits demands, providing an independent analysis of the underlying exposure in connection with that advice. Her experience focuses on liability, property, cargo and marine insurance policies.

Pamela is involved in numerous trade and professional associations. She is presently Secretary of the Practice & Procedure Committee of the Maritime Law Association and Treasurer of the Pacific Admiralty Seminar.

Pamela holds rankings with Chambers for Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation and Best Lawyers in America: Admiralty and Maritime Law and Transportation Law.  

Representative Matters

• Successfully defended shipbuilder contractor in personal injury lawsuit with alleged cognitive disabilities in an issue of first impression in the Ninth Circuit on borrowed servant doctrine;
• Obtained decision in favor of maritime lien claimants on an issue of first impression in the Fifth Circuit involving law of advancements;
• Prevailed in dismissal of multiple foreign defendants on the basis of lack of personal jurisdiction;
• Obtained favorable settlement in maritime attachment case on behalf of bank, including significant reduction in custodia legis expenses;
• Resolved dozens of Rule B attachment claims on behalf of shipowners, charterers and other maritime claimants;
• Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of vessel owner defendant in recreational boating accident involving loss of life.

Education

Louisiana State University, J.D.

Louisiana State University, B.A.

Professional Experience

Pamela has been practicing since 2000, commencing her practice in Louisiana before moving to New York where she then became admitted in New Jersey and Connecticut. In 2010, she commenced her practice in California, but also has handled numerous matters in Hawaii.

Associations and Honors

Ranked lawyer and notable practitioner for Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside New York) (USA – Nationwide) – “Pamela Schultz is highly responsive and handles  transportation and insurance disputes. She is commercially astute and understands business, not just law.” – Chambers USA 2025

Ranked lawyer and notable practitioner for ‘Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside New York) (USA – Nationwide) – “Pamela Schultz is an excellent counsel.” “Pamela Schultz is extremely helpful.” – Chambers USA 2024

Best Lawyers in America: Admiralty and Maritime Law, 2023 – 2026 and Transportation Law, 2025 – 2026

Who’s Who Legal – Transport 2019 – 2023

Board Member, Maritime Law Association, 2016-2019

Bar Memberships

California State & Federal

New York State & Federal

Connecticut State & Federal

Hawaii State & Federal

Louisiana State & Federal

New Jersey State & Federal

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Fifth Circuit

Court of International Trade