Steve Stancliff

About Steve

Steve concentrates his practice in maritime industry litigation. He is an experienced and creative problem solver who advises and represents commercial ship owners, salvors, treasure salvors, ship repairers, dredging and marine construction companies, and their insurers in all aspects of marine operations, commercial transactions, government compliance, and casualty response. Steve is ready to lead and support casualty responses involving collisions, groundings, marine pollution, marine salvage, machinery failures, governmental investigations, and other incidents and disputes in federal and state courts in Virginia and North Carolina, as well as vessel arrests, attachments, limitation actions, and salvage proceedings.

Steve also assists underwriters by analyzing contracts of marine insurance, providing coverage opinions, and defending bad-faith claims.

Experience

1984-2006: United States Coast Guard: CDR (ret.)
1999-2001: USCG detail to USDOJ Civil Division, West Coast
2007-2022: Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C.
2022-Present: Ventker Henderson Stancliff, PLLC

Courts

Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of Virginia
Supreme Court of North Carolina
Supreme Court of Ohio
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
United States District for the Western District of Virginia
United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

Professional Affiliations

Maritime Law Association of the United States (Proctor; Chair, Committee on Regulation of Vessel Operations, Safety, Security and Navigation, 2020-present)
Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute (2021 Chair, Officer 2018-2021; Editor-in-Chief, 2016-17; Editorial Committee, 2014-17; Chair, Long Range Planning Committee, 2013-14; Board of Directors, 2010-2011)
Virginia Maritime Association
Virginia Bar Association
North Carolina Bar Association
Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association
James Kent American Inn of Court
The Propeller Club of Norfolk
Tidewater Arts Outreach (President, 2016-2019; Board Member, 2015-2019)

Education

1996 Case Western Reserve University, J.D.
1992 University of Rhode Island, M.M.A. (Master of Marine Affairs)
1984 United States Coast Guard Academy, B.S. (Marine Engineering)