Gregory W. Poulos
December 8, 1960 – July 25, 2022
Mr. Gregory W. Poulos joined the partnership of CWL in 2001 and retired from the partnership in 2011. Prior to joining the partnership, Mr. Poulos was a Partner at the firm of Lillick & Charles, LLP.
Mr. Poulos’ practice involved representation of public and privately held companies engaged in commercial and environmental transactions and litigation. His commercial practice included negotiation and drafting of leases, joint ventures, charter parties, and other commercial documents. Mr. Poulos’ commercial transactions and litigation practice included trials and arbitrations in all types of commercial transactions, environmental contamination, premises liability, property loss, construction defect and intellectual property matters.
His contributions to the Firm were significant even after he retired and focused on his life-long interests in gardening, cooking, and hunting. He also worked on the family ranch near Ukiah where he oversaw the creation of a pond, among other pursuits.
Greg continued to be involved with promotion of the Firm, both domestically and abroad, and maintained the many close personal ties that he established over decades working with clients and colleagues in the maritime law world.
Greg will be missed by his colleagues and many others in the greater maritime community.
Education
- J. D., Tulane University School of Law (1987)
- B.A. (History and Political Science), University of California, Davis (1984)
Memberships & Admissions
- State Bar of California
- United States Supreme Court
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
- All Federal District Courts in California
- Pro Hac Vice Admissions: Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Texas and New York
- Mr. Poulos also regularly represents companies involved in commercial arbitration in California, New York and London.
- San Francisco Bar Association
- Marin County Bar Association
- Maritime Law Association of the United States (Proctor Member)
- International Bar Association (Current Chair of the Maritime and Transport Law Committee)
Honors
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (2010, 2011)
- Publications and Speaking Engagements
- Legal Implications of the ISM Code: New Impediments to Sea Fever, 9 USF Maritime Law Journal, Vol. 1 (1996) Also presented at the Pacific Admiralty Seminar 1996, San Francisco, California.
- Handling Maritime Personal Injury Lawsuits: A Defense Primer, Paper and Presentation delivered to American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 1997.
- Sky Reefer Revisited, Maritime and Transport Law Newsletter, International Bar Association, Vol. 5 No. 1, page 10 (1998).
- Smitten in California, Illegal “Chinese” Immigration Sparks Tough Regulations, Skuld Magazine Beacon, No. 1 2000, page 21.
- The Role and Liabilities of Ports, Stevedores and Terminal Operators in Multimodal Transport: The U.S. West Coast Perspective, Paper and Presentation delivered to International Bar Association Business Law Conference, Cancun, Mexico, October 2001.
- From Cow Hides to Scanners: A Short History of the Longshore Industry and Port Strikes on the U.S. West Coast, Paper and Presentation delivered to International Bar Association Business Law Conference, San Francisco, California, September 2004.
- Maritime Lawyers & The “New World Symphony.” Paper and Presentation delivered to International Bar Association Business Law Conference, Prague, The Czech Republic, September 2005.
- Enforcement of Marine Claims: Case Study Perspective Addressing Maritime Arrest and Attachment Procedures in the United States, Paper and Presentation delivered to International Bar Association Business Law Conference, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 2006.
Reported Cases
- Western Bulk Carriers v. United States, 1999 AMC 2818 (E.D. Cal. 1999).
- NYK Line v. Burlington N. & Santa Fe Ry. Co., 222 F.Supp.2d 1176 (C.D. Cal. 2002).
- Davenport v. M/V New Horizon, 2003 AMC 356 (N.D. Cal. 2002).
- Port of Stockton v. Western Bulk Carriers KS, 371 F.3d. 1119, 2004 AMC 1544 (2003).
- Russo v. Blue Ocean Shipping, 2003 AMC 2882 (N.D. Cal. Cal. 2003).
- Vogt-Nem, Inc. v. M/V Tramper, 263 F.Supp.2d 1226, 2003 AMC 21 (N.D. Cal. 2003).
- Deltak, L.L.C. v. Industrial Maritime Carries Worldwide, 2004 AMC 1781 (N.D. Cal. 2004).