Member

Direct: (408) 419-1088
Email

 

Personal Narrative

Jonathan Thames is a partner in the San Francisco office with more than 25 years of experience advising business and insurance clients on complex maritime, property, regulatory, and transportation matters. He has particular expertise in assisting London Market underwriters with coverage and recovery problems arising from goods in transit, and in guiding shipyards and customers through thorny marine construction issues. He represents clients in all aspects of admiralty and maritime law, including marine cargo, hull and machinery, and P&I claims; catastrophic personal injury and death actions; and marine, inland marine, stock throughput, and specialty insurance coverage disputes. He also counsels insurance and business clients on complex regulatory, transportation, marine and property matters. He is very commercially-minded, and sees his role not in terms of winning or losing, but instead as helping his clients solve their problems.

Representative Matters

• Claim against client superyacht owner as a result of toxic chemical exposure to three shipyard workers;
• Claim for damage to client’s apples as a result of overexposure to ozone gas in controlled atmosphere storage;
• Odor abatement firm’s breach of contract and lost profits claim against client fish processing company;
• Product liability claim against client marine parts manufacturer/ refurbisher for property damage/ consequential damages as a result of generator failure;
• Yacht owner’s claims against client manufacturer of hybrid diesel electric marine propulsion system installed on custom yacht after runaway collision with injuries in Australia;
• Wrongful death claim against client marina as a result of drowning death;
• Jones Act seaman’s claim for severe burns due to compressor explosion claim against vessel interests and client refrigeration system manufacturer;
• Claim against client marina as a result of severe personal injury (three multiple level spinal fusion surgeries) disembarking from fuel barge;
• Secured dismissal of client terminal operator from independent trucker’s personal-injury lawsuit as a result of being run over by bomb cart.

Education

Seattle University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude)

Tulane University, B.A.

Professional Experience

Partner, Archer Norris 2010-2018

Partner, Hinshaw & Culbertson 2018-2019

Partner, Kennedys CMK LLP 2019-2025

Member, Nicoll Black Altenbrun & Feig, 2025-Present

Associations and Honors

Recommended lawyer for “Insurance: Advice to Insurers in United States” The Legal 500 US (2021)

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America: Insurance Law, 2021 – 2026, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2024 – 2026, and Transportation Law, 2026

California Super Lawyer “Rising Stars”, 2010

Association of Marine Underwriters of San Francisco, Secretary 2021-2025, Vice President 2025-2027

Maritime Law Association of the United States, Proctor

Edward McFettridge Inn of Court, Barrister member

Bar Memberships

California State & Federal

Washington State & Federal

Louisiana State & Federal (inactive)

Mississippi State & Federal (inactive)

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Federal Claims