Supply chains are the lifeblood of client businesses. Jonathan Todd knows the players, the playbook, and the value in quickly mobilizing. He is personally Chambers USA National “Band 1” ranked and has grown the best bench of lawyers around.
Jonathan’s clients include manufacturers, retailers, technology companies, carriers of all modes, freight forwarders, and property brokers. He has spent his entire career focused on handling transportation, logistics, warehousing, fulfillment, procurement, sales, and import or export matters.
His portfolio of experience includes industry mergers and acquisitions, contract drafting and negotiating of all forms, government license and permit management, business operations counsel, new business lines, new market entry, geopolitical risk management, regulatory compliance counsel and enforcement defense, claims, and dispute resolution.
Perspective is everything among attorneys. Jon has served the industry on advisory committees and councils by appointment of the Transportation Secretary, Commerce Secretary, TSA Administrator, and Ohio Governor. He previously served as senior counsel and officer for a global transportation, logistics, and customs brokerage provider. Along the way, he received a graduate degree in supply chain management, a certificate in international law, a customs broker license, and a fellow designation from the Association for Supply Chain Management.
Jon is a national authority on supply chain management, transportation and logistics, and international trade matters. He frequently speaks at events across the country, and his commentary is widely published in: Forbes Newsroom, Vogue Business, Bloomberg Law, Inbound Logistics, Supply Chain Dive, FreightWaves, Inside Supply Management Magazine, and Law360. He is a Crain's “Notables in Law” recipient, a two-time JD Supra “Reader’s Choice Award” recipient, and a Supply & Demand Chan Executive’s “Pro to Know” recipient.
Benesch’s National Band 1 ranked Transportation & Logistics Practice Group also holds the title of national “Law Firm of The Year” in Transportation Law for 2025, the seventh award of that title in ten years.
You are welcome to reach out and discuss any issue, big or small, any time at 1-216-363-4658 or jtodd@beneschlaw.com.
Representative Experience
- Transportation and Logistics – Strategic advice and operations counsel on all aspects of transportation and logistics operations including development of new service lines and market entry, inter-company and third party relationships, equipment sourcing and asset management, driver sourcing and safety management, independent contractor owner-operator relationships, technology solutions, last mile operations, middle mile operations, drayage operations, import and export services, all forms of operational and customer contracting, and dispute resolution.
- Supply Chain Management – Advising on global supply chain risk and best practices including supply and service procurement, vendor diligence, contracting, development of new production and distribution strategies, and dispute resolution.
- Contract Drafting and Negotiation - Drafting and negotiation of all manner of services contracts including: Motor Carrier, Broker, and Forwarder Services Agreements; Courier and Last Mile Delivery Services Agreements; Dray Agreements; Intermodal Services Agreements; Air Forwarding and Indirect Air Carrier Agreements; Air Charter and Block Space Agreements; Ocean Freight Forwarder and Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier Agreements; Warehousing and Fulfillment Agreements; Distribution Agreements; Customs Broker, Export Forwarder, and Collateral Access Agreements; Power of Attorney Forms; Equipment Interchange Agreements; Equipment Lease and Rental Agreements; Independent Contractor Owner-Operator Lease Agreements; Bills of Lading and Waybills Terms; and Terms and Conditions of Service or Use.
- Mergers and Acquisitions – Providing valuable recommendations for post-close opportunities, industry-focused due diligence review, counsel on legal and regulatory requirements, operational best practices, and commercial standards for targets in all modes and industry segments. Deal experience includes the digital brokerage, last mile and courier, air and ocean forwarder, value-add warehousing and fulfillment, and over-the-road trucking segments.
- Licensing and Permits – Acquiring, transferring, updating, and modifying licenses, permits, and operating authorities including those required for motor carrier, indirect air carrier, foreign air freight forwarder, ocean forwarder, and non-vessel operating common carrier operations.
- Regulatory Enforcement – Successfully representing clients during regulatory enforcement investigations and audits, often with the elimination or mitigation of penalties, including experience before the: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and State Public Utilities Commissions (PUC).
- International Trade Compliance – Preparing risk assessments for current and prospective international operations, developing meaningful compliance programs and pragmatic operating procedures, providing reasonable ad hoc advice as situations arise, preparing root cause analysis reports and producing corrective action plans for implementation, assisting in the determination of whether to submit voluntary self-disclosure notices, and representing clients during investigations and enforcement actions to minimize risk and mitigate exposure.
- Represented Gridiron Capital Partners in its initial platform acquisition of Jacent Strategic Merchandising, a provider of strategic impulse, in-line and check stand, merchandising products and solutions to retailers.
