Matthew J. Thomas

Representative Matters

Maritime and International Transport Sector

• Advised and represented shipowners, charterers and P&I Clubs in connection with U.S. trade sanctions (on Iran, Cuba, Sudan, Syria and North Korea), U.S. Somali piracy policy, and export licensing and documentation. Worked closely with U.S. agencies to advance shipping industry interests in these policy areas, and advised shipping stakeholders regarding impact of U.S. regulatory changes on charterparty obligations and other operational issues.
• Represented several major U.S. container terminals in connection with Federal Maritime Commission regulatory proceedings, including disputes over lease rights, truck congestion, terminal land redistribution, environmental plans, and public-private partnership issues.
• Advised public ports on innovative programs to reduce harmful air emissions. Provided ports with guidance and representation on regulatory and legal matters in connection with emissions-reducing programs for vessels, trucks, and heavy equipment. Played key roles in successfully defending constitutional litigation, federal investigations (by Federal Maritime Commission) and development of related lobbying strategies.
• Represented shipping lines in connection with a federal regulatory matters, compliance planning and training, lobbying, and responding to investigations, including practice before the Federal Maritime Commission, U.S. Coast Guard, Maritime Administration, Customs and Border Protection, and other agencies. Guided liner operators in with regard to tariffs, service contracts, bills of lading, space chartering and alliances, agency agreements, terminal and agency arrangements, antitrust immunity, logistics and forwarding, and other container carriage issues.
• Representing and advising international maritime-sector insurance (P&I) trade association in connection with U.S. regulatory and legislative matters, including environmental liability, insurance regulation, and maritime law. Monitoring and analyzing federal and United Nations maritime initiatives on clean air, ballast water, and other environmental issues.
• Advising and representing an offshore oil & gas operator regarding maritime regulatory and citizenship requirements for offshore supply vessels, pipelay, drillship and floating production unit vessels.
• Advised international lenders and investment funds on environmental liability, citizenship, regulatory compliance, and vessel documentation aspects of maritime financing transactions.

Government Sector Maritime Experience

• Served as an advisor on maritime and transport matters to U.S. delegation at the Uruguay Round of World Trade Organization ("WTO") negotiations.
• Served as program lead in major maritime-sector trade dispute and trade sanctions case between the U.S. and Japan. Drafted orders imposing sanctions on Japan, coordinated extensively with numerous federal agencies and Congress; participated in bilateral negotiations to resolve dispute; successfully defended action before U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
• Played lead role in advising congressional committees and drafting implementing rulemakings in connection with major U.S. deregulation of international liner shipping sector.
• Participated in month-long staff exchange with European Commission, learning fundamentals of EU transport and competition laws and regulations.
• Led U.S. government investigations into restrictive trade practices in China's and Brazil's transport sectors. Also, in coordination with key congressional committees, investigated and analyzed U.S. economic and national security impacts of Chinese role in Panamanian port infrastructure development.

Legal and Government Affairs

• Served as the Washington lobbyist for Monterey County, California. Guided county through appropriations process to secure millions in earmarks for county social and infrastructure programs, and provided the county strategic legal guidance on outlook and impacts of federal legislative and regulatory developments in a broad range of sectors.
• Represents and advises international oil & gas companies in connection with U.S. and multilateral trade sanctions (including Cuba, Iran, Libya, Sudan and Burma sanctions), U.S. export controls and export licensing, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance, and other trade-related laws and regulations.
• In connection with a major agricultural trade dispute, represented a major grain exporter in connection with a WTO dispute settlement proceeding, and inother dealings with Office of U.S. Trade Representative.
• Advised clients on establishment of Political Action Committees (PACs) and compliance with federal campaign finance laws.