Jeremy A. Herschaft

Biography

Jeremy Herschaft is a member of our Maritime Emergency Response Team (“MERT”).

Chambers USA recognizes Jeremy as a nationally ranked shipping and maritime litigation attorney. His practice covers all phases of international commercial counseling, complex litigation, and arbitration, with particular emphasis on the global marine, trade, and energy industries. Jeremy has more than 18 years of experience in advising clients on a wide range of topics, including:

  • International and domestic commercial contract negotiations and cross-border disputes
  • Maritime contract negotiations involving time, voyage, and bareboat charter parties, bills of lading, service contracts, and contracts of affreightment
  • Maritime insolvencies
  • Cargo damage and general average disputes
  • Laytime and demurrage disputes
  • Recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitration awards and judgments in U.S. courts
  • Marine insurance instructions on behalf of P&I clubs and hull insurers in casualty-related disputes
  • Prosecuting and defending maritime attachment (Rule B) and vessel arrest (Rule C) actions
  • Disputes involving the U.S. Commercial Instruments and Maritime Lien Act
  • Maritime emergency response (collisions, allisions, groundings, pollution incidents, shipboard white collar investigations, etc., with over 100 international and domestic vessel boardings to date) 
  • Representation of vessel interests in U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board investigations

Jeremy spent the first six years of his law practice with a respected corporate law firm in New Orleans, Louisiana, focusing on the Mississippi River maritime industry and the Gulf of Mexico offshore deepwater energy sector. He joined Blank Rome’s Manhattan, New York, office in 2011, and went on to manage a variety of international maritime commercial matters and disputes. Jeremy then relocated to Houston, Texas, in 2014 to assist with expanding the firm’s maritime and energy capabilities in and around the Gulf of Mexico.

Jeremy has presented at various conferences around the world on a wide range of legal subjects pertaining to the shipping and logistics environment. His articles have appeared in Pratt’s Banking Law Journal, the Tulane Maritime Law Journal, The Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law, The Arbitrator, the Tulane Law Review, and Pratt’s Energy Law Report. He serves on the Board of Advisory Editors of the Tulane Maritime Law Journal.

Outside the Firm

Jeremy is an avid outdoorsman, and he enjoys participating in long-distance endurance events and half-marathons. In 2019, he completed President Teddy Roosevelt’s challenge to hike 50 miles in under 24 hours. When not practicing law, you can find him spending time with his wife and three children along Buffalo Bayou in Houston Texas. He is a member of F3 Houston.

Experience

  • First-chair federal trial experience on behalf of tug defendants in litigation arising from 2016 AFRAMAX RIVER allision in Houston, Texas
  • A large U.S.-based fuel supplier, in the national prosecution of maritime lien claims against 28 vessels arising out of the international O.W. Bunker bankruptcy.
  • A Danish shipping line in connection with the first Chapter 15 bankruptcy recognition case under the new Danish insolvency act, including adversary proceedings on behalf of the debtor in the United States against 75 international and domestic NVOCC defendants.
  • A foreign marine P&I insurer, in a forum selection dispute with a personal injury plaintiff, and the successful transfer of litigation from Louisiana to London, England via a motion to dismiss pursuant to the Club’s forum selection clause.
  • Enforcement of foreign arbitration awards and judgments in U.S. courts. 
  • Extensive experience with shipboard investigations involving vessel collisions, allisions, and marine pollution / environmental incidents, and representation of vessel owners in subsequent state and federal governmental proceedings.

News & Views

See all News and Views

Recognitions

  • 2022–2023, Admiralty and Maritime Law in Houston, listed in Best Lawyers in America©
  • 2015–2022, Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation Law, listed in Chambers USA
  • 2019–2022, listed in The Legal 500 United States
  • 2022, “Leading Lawyer,” listed in The Legal 500’s Guide to Outstanding Lawyers Nationwide
  • 2021, “Next Generation Partner,” listed in The Legal 500’s Guide to Up-and-Coming Lawyers Nationwide
  • 2019–2020, “Next Generation Lawyer,” listed in The Legal 500’s Guide to Up-and-Coming Lawyers Nationwide
  • 2018–2019, listed in Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll
  • 2014, “Rising Star” in Transportation & Maritime, listed in Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters)

Affiliations

Memberships

  • Maritime Law Association of the United States
  • Young Professionals in Energy Houston
  • International Association of Young Lawyers ("AIJA")
Professional Activities

Jeremy served as a 2017–2020 Vice President of the International Association of Young Lawyers (“AIJA”) Transport Law Commission. He is designated as a Proctor-in-Admiralty member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States. In 2017, he was honored to serve as the John E. Sims Distinguished Admiralty Practitioner-In-Residence at Tulane Law School.

Jeremy is a member of Blank Rome’s Houston Pro Bono Coordinating Committee and firm-wide Diversity & Inclusion Committee. He was recognized by Blank Rome with its Pro Bono Hero award in 2012 for his advocacy in supporting equal rights by obtaining “particular social group” asylum relief on behalf of a gay immigrant, and again in 2017 for his efforts in assisting undocumented Central American children with securing “Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.” In 2018, Jeremy received the firm’s Edwin P. Rome Pro Bono Achievement Award, which was created to recognize dedication to pro bono service and honor those who are committed to seeking equal access to justice for all.

Credentials

Admissions

  • U.S. District Court - Northern District of Texas
  • District of Columbia
  • Louisiana
  • New York
  • Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court - Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of Texas
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Louisiana
  • U.S. District Court - Middle District of Louisiana
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of Louisiana

Education

  • West Virginia University, BA
  • University of South Carolina School of Law, JD
  • Tulane University School of Law, LLM Maritime