Katharine Essick joined the firm in 2004. She has since defended vessel interests in a variety of maritime matters involving personal injury, toxic tort, contracts, and employment. She has a particular interest in and experience of employment litigation in the maritime context, having defended vessel interests against claims of hostile environment, discrimination, and retaliation based on sex, race, national origin, and disability. Katharine has trial experience (jury and bench) in both federal and state courts.

Katharine earned her J.D. in 2001 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. While in law school she competed in the National Moot Court Competition and Roger J. Traynor California Moot Court Competition, in which her team earned the Roger J. Traynor Award (Best Oral Argument) and the Bernard E. Witkin Award (Excellence in Appellate Advocacy). Prior to joining the firm Katharine practiced environmental law in San Francisco.

Katharine is licensed to practice in all California courts and is admitted before the United States District Courts for the Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California, as well as before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In 2009, SuperLawyers Northern California named Katharine Essick a “Rising Star” in the fields of Transportation/Maritime and Employment and Labor.