Svetlana Spivak

SVETLANA SPIVAK's practice focuses on maritime personal injury law. Svetlana’s practice also includes international and domestic commercial litigation, bankruptcy, maritime employment and general personal injury litigation. She speaks fluent Russian and Ukrainian, and in addition to her work as a full time attorney, she is frequently called upon to interpret in Washington courts as a Certified Russian language interpreter. Svetlana has worked on many cases involving Russian/Ukrainian speaking plaintiffs, as well as working to resolve various issues pertaining to Russian flagged vessels. Svetlana’s language skills, combined with her business background, provide her with necessary knowledge to successfully navigate complex international commercial issues, as well as domestic commercial cases. Her education and experience enable her to understand the firm’s clients as business entities, with goals for profitable operations.

Svetlana was born in Ukraine and emigrated with her family to the United States in 1993. She was accepted to the University of Washington in 1994 and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business in only three years. Svetlana became a U.S. citizen in 2000. While in Ukraine, Svetlana graduated from Art school, although her current schedule leaves her little time to paint.

Svetlana graduated from the University of Washington Business School in 1997 and from the College of Law in 2000. Following her graduation from law school and prior to joining LB&P, Svetlana worked as Clerk to the Honorable Kenneth L. Cowsert, Snohomish County Superior Court Judge. In December 2003 she co-presented Discrimination and Harassment Claims Against Maritime Employers at a meeting of the Marine Insurance Association of Seattle.

Svetlana is admitted to practice law in the states of Washington (2000), Oregon (2004), and Alaska (2006), and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts in Alaska, Oregon, the Western and Eastern Districts of Washington, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.