Ms. Seelie is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice law in Florida and before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. Ms. Seelie is an experienced civil litigator, able to take cases from inception to closing in the courtroom. She has vast experience in all marine issues in and out of litigation, as well as experience in general liability/personal injury defense.

Ms. Seelie grew up in a family of lawyers while racing sailboats on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio, so litigation and boats are second nature to her. She moved to Florida when she received a scholarship to play Division II basketball at the University of Tampa. After graduating from law school from Nova Southern University in 2008, she went on to litigate a variety of cases for the next six years. While litigating cases throughout South Florida she became a sponsored kiteboarder and the owner of a 40ft yacht (which was in desperate condition). Ms. Seelie would spend her days in the courtroom and her nights and weekends rebuilding her Beneteau 40 (starting with replacing the engine to repainting the bottom, etc). Her background and personal involvement with the marine and yachting world lead her to move to Italy in 2014 where she entrenched herself in the European marine and yachting industry for the next four years.

While in Europe, she managed professional sailing teams and yacht racing regattas worldwide for three fleets of racing boats (up to 50 boats per fleet). She managed all aspects starting with the contracts for the build of the boats, the sale of the boats, managing professional sailors, and organizing regattas. Through this she gained broad experience in all aspects of liability on and off the water. 

Ms. Seelie has now moved back to South Florida and is using her experience gained overseas to resolve and litigate cases here. She specializes in drafting and negotiating contracts with shipyards, marinas, yacht clubs, freight & charter vessels, yacht owners, and professional sailors around the world. Ms. Seelie has experience with all aspects of liability starting with the build of a boat to racing the boat on a professional level worldwide. She has worked with marines, yacht clubs, ISAF authorities, and local marine authorities throughout Europe, Dubai, and the United States regarding liability issues in their waters.

EDUCATION

Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center,

Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2008

The University of Tampa, Bachelor of Arts in Business, 2005

ADMISSIONS

• The Florida Bar, 2008

• United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 2009

MEMBERSHIPS & SERVICES

• Member US Sailing Association