Jonathan R. Todd
Vice Chair, Transportation & Logistics Practice Group
Overview
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 nationwide and his commentary is widely published including in: NPR, Forbes Newsroom, Nasdaq TradeTalks, Vogue Business, Bloomberg Law, National Law Journal, Law360, Inbound Logistics, Supply Chain Dive, and FreightWaves. 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 https://www.beneschlaw.com.
What I Do
Featured endorsements
Experience
Represented Bluestone Equity Partners on its strategic investment in Selkirk Sport, the leading pickleball equipment manufacturer.
Represented Purolator, a leading Canadian provider of integrated freight, package and logistics solutions, as U.S. deal counsel in its acquisition of Livingston International from Platinum Equity.
Served as legal counsel to Atmus Filtration Technologies in its $450 million definitive agreement to acquire Koch Filter. The transaction strengthens Atmus’ market position by providing direct access to Koch Filter’s established customer network across commercial and industrial HVAC, data centers and power generation.
Represented Harbor Global, a portfolio company of BayPine, in its acquisition of Encoretech, a specialized training and user adoption services company focused on the legal sector.
Represented a Landlord for the lease of an entire six-story building (214,560 rentable square feet of premises) in Northbrook, Illinois, to the healthcare industry’s largest medical-surgical product manufacturer and supply chain provider.
Represented a private equity buyer in its acquisition of a wholesale distributor of pipes, valves, and fittings.
Represented Loar Holdings Inc., a diversified manufacturer and supplier of niche aerospace and defense components, in its acquisition of Applied Avionics, Inc., a manufacturer of highly engineered avionics interface solutions catering to the aviation industry, valued at $385 million.
Successfully defended a client importer accused of unlawful importation to resolve a civil penalty case before U.S. Customs and Border Protection with over $200,000 in cost savings.
Represented a global leader in the formulation, development and manufacture of performance polymer solutions in its acquisition of a developer of premium thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) materials for manufacturers across a diverse range of industries throughout North America, Asia and Europe.
Represented a global leader in labeling and packaging materials in its acquisition of a leading provider of sports apparel customization & retail experience technology.
Mergers and Acquisitions – Providing valuable strategic vision on 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.
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.
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 Yusen Logistics in its acquisition of Taylored Services, a multichannel third-party logistics fulfillment organization, from private equity firm Saybrook.
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.
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).
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.
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Credentials
Education
- Supply Chain Management
- International Law Certificate
- Political Science
Clerkships and Bar Admissions
More
- Member, Air Forwarders Association (AFA) – Regulatory Compliance Committee; Contributor to “At The Bar” Column
- Member, American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS)
- Member, American Trucking Associations (ATA) – Supply Chain Security Policy Committee
- Member, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP)
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Boardmember – District Export Council for Northern Ohio
- Member, Institute for Supply Chain Management (ISM)
- Member, National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA)
- Member, Transportation Lawyer’s Association (TLA)
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Boardmember – Truckload Carrier Association (TCA)
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Voting Member – TSA Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee
- Ranked Band 1 Nationally for Transportation: Road (Carriage/Logistics), Chambers 2024, 2025
- Ranked Band 2 Nationally for Transportation: Road (Carriage/Logistics), Chambers 2023
- Listed, Crain’s Cleveland Notables in Law, 2022
- Recipient, Top Author Award, JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards, 2021, 2025
- Listed, Pros to Know, Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine, 2021
- Listed, Chambers USA Leading Lawyers, Transportation: Road (Carriage/Logistics) Nationally, 2020-2022
Hobbies/Activities
Desert hiking, baseball and hockey games, and watching almost any movie (particularly documentaries)
Favorite Quote
“A problem well-defined is a problem half solved.” – John Dewey
Related News & Insights
Non-Domiciled CDLs – FMCSA Final Rule and its Operational Impacts
The Final Rule follows the FMCSA’s September 29, 2025 Interim Final Rule on non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs. The Final Rule and Interim Final Rule are materially identical.
Benesch Advises Revelar Capital on Acquisition of Lettermen’s Energy, Building National Propane Platform
Benesch is pleased to announce that it represented Revelar Capital, a leading private equity firm investing exclusively across the healthcare services, business services and specialty manufacturing sectors, in its acquisition of Lettermen’s Energy, a national propane distributor serving residential and commercial markets across the United States. The transaction marks Revelar’s fifth platform investment in the past 18 months and positions Lettermen’s for continued growth as a national market leader.
Benesch Advises Bluestone Equity Partners in Strategic Investment in Selkirk Sport
Benesch advised Bluestone Equity Partners, an institutionally-backed global private equity firm focused on the Sports, Media & Entertainment industry, on its strategic investment in Selkirk Sport, the leading pickleball equipment manufacturer and innovator. Selkirk, founded in 2014, has established itself as the leading brand in the rapidly growing sport of pickleball.