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Women in Shipping—Jeanne Grasso, Partner, Blank Rome

Fairplay

Blank Rome Partner Jeanne M. Grasso is featured in Fairplay's Women in Shipping supplement, where, as part of the Fairplay Industry Leaders series, the IHS Markit maritime editorial team have singled out "the most accomplished women in maritime in 2018." View the full profile online here


Jeanne GrassoWomen in Shipping—Jeanne Grasso, Partner, Blank Rome

For Jeanne Grasso, a partner at maritime law firm Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C. office, one of the challenges as a woman in a male-dominated industry is constantly having to prove oneself.

As a specialist in environmental regulations that affect shipping, “I spend a lot of time on ships, and you always get the raised eyebrow when they see that a woman is walking onboard,” Grasso told Fairplay.

“Many times I’ll be accompanied by a younger male associate, and the ship’s captain or chief engineer will inevitably start talking to him first. You’re always breaking through a barrier and proving yourself, which I think is something men clearly don’t face as much.”

Her experience does not end at the pier. “When you’re in meetings and you’re one of a few, there’s always a higher bar, and you just need to be prepared. As a woman in this business you’re forced to prepare even more. But that’s ok, because if you’re good at what you do and know what you’re talking about, you can break through that bias.”

Grasso’s career path into the commercial maritime world was by way of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the US Department of Commerce, where she worked in the agency’s Office of Congressional Affairs, handling fisheries and oceans matters. She also served as staff to the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.

After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana and getting her degree from the University of Maryland School of Law, Grasso wound up at a small maritime firm, Dyer Ellis & Joseph, where she had several mentors – all of whom were men.

“They opened doors for me, and it was fantastic,” she said. “They did it in various ways, giving me opportunities that most may not have received, because it was a small firm. They introduced me to the workings of the International Maritime Organization. They took me to meetings where I could interact with clients. That’s all critical when you’re a young lawyer, especially in an industry where men vastly outnumber women.”

Those opportunities helped establish a solid foundation for Grasso to build her legal resume, which includes in her current title vice chair, maritime and international trade practice group at Blank Rome. She is also a member of the firm’s maritime emergency response team. Grasso advises owners and operators of vessels, charterers, and facilities, both marine-side and inland.

However, Grasso remains the only female partner in the firm’s maritime practice – and has been for a long time. “The legal profession has an issue with retaining women in senior positions, and even more so in the maritime area, which tends to mirror the shipping industry as a whole,” she said. “When I go to maritime events, the female makeup seems to be maybe about 10% at any given venue, and I think on the legal side it’s probably the same.”

Grasso believes more progress will be made when the shipping industry and the legal profession begin to more fully appreciate the benefits of diversity.

“Women see things differently than men, I think we tend to more often look for consensus rather than being adversarial. So bringing together different viewpoints and ideas I think is imperative.

“Diverse boards and management teams are critical to productive decision making, which leads to more profitability.”