Ronald M. Leibman | McCarter & English, LLP

A respected leader in supply chain law, Ronald Leibman is a reliable resource for clients and acts as a natural extension of their company. His personal philosophy is grounded in forming long-term relationships with clients; it is this connection and intricate knowledge of their business that sets him apart. He regularly delivers business-oriented legal solutions for manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, distributors, carriers, and third-party logistics providers. Beyond his commercial law and litigation experience, Ron brings valuable industry insights with prior experience as a senior logistics executive at Wakefern Food Corp. (ShopRite Supermarkets) and home-furnishing retailer Fortunoff’s. He helps clients achieve operational efficiency and enhanced value to customers through this deep understanding of the supply chain environment.

Ron also guides clients through the constantly evolving technological landscape as the supply chain industry rushes toward data-driven solutions, including blockchain, smart contracts, visibility solutions, and autonomous vehicles. He anticipates the potential benefits and risks for decision-makers and helps develop smart strategies to overcome challenges and strengthen their business’s competitive position in the marketplace. He also works with app-based, demand-driven, and crowd-sourced transportation clients on both the shipper and supplier side.

He is a member of Syracuse University’s Supply Chain Advisory Board at the Whitman School of Management, the Steering Committee of the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey’s Transportation Forum, and Law360’s Transportation Editorial Advisory Board. Ron is often tapped by leading publications, such as Reuters, Law 360, New Jersey Monthly, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as industry and educational organizations for comment on current industry trends and specific regulations.

Ron was born and raised in Flushing, Queens, and now calls Glen Rock, NJ, home. He is the proud father of three children and a cat named Pizza Mediterranean, but known to everyone as Pete. Although he does not ski, Ron for years acted as ski technician for his daughter, an alpine ski racer. He is also a lover of many forms of music and, most notably, was a frequent visitor to CBGB in his college days.

Served as transportation and logistics counsel to Wind Point Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, in its corporate carve out of Velocity Rail Solutions, a leading provider of mission-critical locomotive services to the rail industry.

Represented Transfix, a digital freight management and logistics company, in the sale of its freight brokerage business to strategic buyer NFI Industries. Transfix will now operate as a technology developer and supplier offering its proprietary transportation management system and other logistics software.

Represented a worldwide small appliance manufacturer in developing and negotiating a 42-month Canadian warehousing and distribution agreement worth $17.5 million with a logistics company.

Represented Boston-based private equity firm Fort Point Capital regarding transportation and regulatory issues in its acquisition of Northern California-based logistics services provider Yandell Truckaway and its affiliates YES! Logistics and SC Warehouses.

Represented a worldwide small appliance manufacturer in a five-year $110 million contract for a major international third-party logistics provider to provide dedicated warehousing and related logistics services at its Southern California distribution center.

Represented Schindler Elevator Corporation in outsourcing its North American distribution operations.

Advised various multi-national, national, and regional clients, including retailers, wholesalers distributors and manufacturers, in regards to supply chain rationalization and redundancy strategies, including service provider selection and the drafting and negotiation of modal (for-hire and dedicated) contracts for motor, ocean, air and rail transportation, third party logistics services, warehousing, and equipment purchases and leasing.

Represented a significant North American retailer in the strategic planning, drafting, and negotiating of five-year agreements for the outsourcing of all warehousing and distribution functions at two new one-million-square-foot distribution centers in Pennsylvania and California to international major 3PL. In addition, participated in carrier selection, drafted and negotiated a five-year agreement with large national motor carriers to supply dedicated store delivery services from facilities. Also advised and represented an international mobility manufacturer and an international tooling and security manufacturer regarding 3PL bidding and selection for the outsourcing of, respectively, the companies’ North American and worldwide multi-modal transportation needs, and drafted and negotiated related Master Service Agreements and related statements of work.

Advised various importers and exporters regarding workarounds for obtaining ocean and drayage carriage capacity and related containers and chassis, including the use of chartered services, and strategies to eliminate or minimize roadblocks to picking up and delivering containers at foreign and domestic ports due to congestion issues, including for appointment scheduling, and in regard to obtaining refunds and/or eliminating related ocean carrier detention and demurrage charges. Negotiated ocean freight and international freight forwarding agreement for 2022 shipping season and on a long-term basis.

Advised a major North American consumer products retailer regarding the negotiation of warehousing and port drayage contracts with service providers in New Jersey and Virginia and a wind-down agreement with a New Jersey regional distribution warehouse as part of the shut down of the company’s Northeast distribution center and consolidation of the two facilities into a single distribution center, and in regard to a Midwest U.S. intermodal/truck crossdock facility with a major Chicago-based 3PL.

Negotiated agreements on behalf of an autonomous vehicle software developer/motor carrier with online and traditional retailers, motor carriers, freight brokers, and governmental agencies; for beta testing its autonomous vehicles in the Southwestern U.S.; and regarding the installation and maintenance of its hardware and software in vehicles. We also provide strategic advice on growth strategy and motor carrier statutory compliance issues.

Advised a leading digital freight management provider on the drafting and negotiation of modal and customer contracts; development of TMS and FMS packages; and implementation of a reverse logistics offering, carrier marketing programs, insurance and bonding programs, data and personal privacy, contract employment issues, sales strategy, and strategic day-to-day and long term financial and operational planning.

Negotiated a demonstration agreement on behalf of the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the U.S. with Orange EV for the testing of its electrically powered trailer switching tractors at the client’s distribution centers.

Advised numerous clients on compliance matters, such as the California Air Resources Board’s truck and bus regulations, including for trailer refrigeration units, and its application to in-state and out-of-state shippers, carriers, and brokers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, AB5, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the Food Safety Modernization Act, and the Final Rule on the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food, OSHA and State level warehouse safety regulations. Also handled matters involving C-TPAT regulations, the Robinson Patman Act, and the Pacific Agricultural Commodities Act.

Negotiated a lease of an ambient and refrigerated warehouse facility in Arizona as well as various warehouse and logistics services agreements with food manufacturers. We also advised and assisted our client regarding obtaining a property broker permit and operating as a broker, and on various disputes regarding client payments, loss and damage claims, and UCC lien rights.

Represented a major domestic freight platform in business and operational issues and assisted it in document preparation, review, and negotiation in its $50 million senior revolving credit facility from MidCap Financial for go forward capital needs as well as in its business combination with a major financing entity, and a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by affiliates of that company.

Represented A&R Logistics, Inc., one of North America’s leading providers of bulk products supply chain services as transportation counsel in its acquisition of RJ’s Transportation, a provider of bulk liquid transportation and other logistics services to the chemical industry. Following A&R’s acquisitions of First Choice Logistics in February 2020, L.T. Harnett in August 2020, and Lucky Trucking in April 2021, for which we also provided transportation counsel, RJ’s is A&R’s fourth acquisition of a bulk products supply chain services provider in the past year.

Served as transportation counsel for A&R Logistics, Inc., one of North America’s leading providers of bulk products supply chain services, in its acquisition of First Choice Logistics, a provider of bulk liquid transportation and logistics services to the chemical industry.

Represented A&R Logistics, Inc., one of North America’s leading providers of bulk products supply chain services, as transportation counsel in its acquisition of L.T. Harnett, a provider of bulk liquid and dry transportation and logistics services to the chemical, food, and agricultural industries. Following A&R’s acquisition of First Choice Logistics in February 2020, for which we also provided transportation counsel, LTH is A&R’s second acquisition of a bulk products supply chain services provider in the past six months.

Represented STG Logistics as transportation and logistics counsel in its $711 million acquisition of the Intermodal Division of XPO Logistics.