AssociateNew York
Jonas S. Patzwall is an Associate with our firm based in our New York office specializing in commercial and maritime litigation before both Federal and State courts as well as in arbitration. Jonas was admitted to the New York State Bar in May 2020, the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in July 2020, the Texas Bar in April 2021 and the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas in November 2021.
He is a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLAUS) where he serves as the YLC liaison to the Cybersecurity committee, the ABA TIPS Admiralty and Maritime Law Committee as well as the DVIS – Deutscher Verein für Internationales Seerecht, the German chapter of the Comité Maritime International (CMI).
Jonas graduated from Tulane University with a Master of Laws degree in Admiralty achieving a Distinction award. Following his Masters, Jonas joined our firm in June 2018 as a law clerk while completing a Juris Doctor with Tulane Law School. During his time at Tulane, he was a Harry S. Stiles Scholarship in Maritime Law recipient, Notes and Comments Editor with the Tulane Maritime Law Journal and published a note on admiralty jurisdiction in US law.
Jonas worked as a Research Assistant for Professor Martin Davies of the Tulane Maritime Law Center and participated at Tulane Inn of Court. Jonas previously graduated with a Bachelor of Laws equivalent (Diplomjurist / Erstes Staatsexamen) and a Certificate in Common Law (FFA program) from the University of Muenster, Germany.
Jonas has a personal affinity for the sea, which goes to explain his strong commitment to the areas of Maritime and Commercial Law. He has a unique perspective and skill set having undertaken legal studies in Germany and the United States, which he seeks to employ in his approach at our firm. He has worked pro bono for the City of New Orleans and served as President of the Tulane Law School Chapter of the Federalist Society.
Jonas works in English (fluent) and German (native).
Highlights of Jonas’s work include the following:
Representation of a major US oil refinery in relation to disputes under their shipping contracts during the COVID-19 crisis. The dispute related to delays under a bespoke charterparty.
Advised Italian shipowner on sanctions related to trade in South and Middle America.
Advised major European shipping company on the provision of an insurance product in England, Australia and the United States.
Representation of European bank regarding recovery of a multi-million dollar claim against an insolvent entity under claims relating to mis-delivery of cargo. Assertively pursued security actions against possible assets and successfully obtained an attachment over assets belonging to an alter-ego in a US targeting a vessel in the Southern District of Texas. In a reported decision, successfully defeated post-discovery motion to vacate seizure order and dismiss action. Global litigation included proceedings in UK and East Asia.
Representation of clients, multiple entities from multiple countries involved in exchange trading business, in defense of fraud allegations brought by a Greek billionaire and related companies.
Representation of major soft commodity trading company in English High Court proceedings, alleging false representation and deceit against a Russian commodity trader. Matter also involved worldwide freezing orders, underlying GAFTA arbitration proceedings in London, English enforcement proceedings and Russian enforcement proceedings; obtained a full judgment and London arbitral award.
Defended oil spill indemnification claims against client time charterer following oil spill event on Mississippi.
Interested in specific aspects of Jonas’s recent work? Contact office@zeilerfloydzad.com for further reference cases.
Professional Experience
Education
In this episode of Break It Down, ZFZ New York-based associate Jonas Patzwall gives us the full rundown on US Sanctions. Jonas walks us through how sanctions work, why and how they’re put in place, their compliance and the structure of international bodies governing their implementation. We discuss some of the most recent developments in the Venezuela and Belarus US sanctions, and a couple prime court cases exhibiting how things can get complicated when it comes to adhering to these regulations, as Jonas provides us with a detailed how-to on regular compliance from the perspective of a business engaging in international commerce. Everything you never knew about sanctions explained!
Asset attachments in the United States Part 11 of our series on the tools and strategies that international businesses can use in an economic crisis to protect their positions. Rule B attachment under US law allows a party to obtain security and jurisdiction over a counterparty. In time of economic turmoil when parties are faced with increasing counterparty risk and financial exposure, it can be an important tool to use. When contracts are breached and payments are not made, our clients regularly look for assistance in securing their position. For us at ZFZ that means putting efforts in high gear and acting swiftly. We want to put a backstop to losses and prepare to recover as much as possible of any outstanding claim. Rule B attachment allows for parties with maritime claims to attach tangible and intangible property of a counterparty. It can be a valuable alternative to Rule C arrest, make up some of its shortcomings and help a commercial party to overcome difficulties in enforcing their claims. Jonas Patzwall gives you the rundown on what to look for and what to expect when considering Rule B attachments. For further information please contact Jonas Patzwall or anyone from the ZFZ team to discuss this, or any of the other topics in the video series.
On January 27, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) published its first Jones Act guidance ruling (“Ruling”) related to offshore wind energy production.
The current times are times of uncertainty and worries for many. The areas of our practice and the legal profession as a whole are no exceptions.
US Supreme Court decides that the safe berth clause establishes a warranty of safety. A monumental, yet widely expected, decision.
This note reports on an interesting and important US federal court decision concerning sanctions enforcement and, significantly, a rare instance of a business challenging OFAC’s interpretation of a US sanctions regime. Exxon was successful in voiding a US$2 million sanctions penalty. However, for the rest of us this case demonstrates why caution around sanctions remains of paramount importance.