Jonathan I. Blackman’s practice focuses on litigation, including international litigation and arbitration, banking, and insurance law. 

He has participated in numerous international arbitrations involving both public international law and complex commercial disputes, litigation involving the immunity of foreign states and their agencies under the U.S. Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, and commercial litigation in a variety of U.S. federal and state courts.

Jonathan joined the firm in 1977, became a partner in 1985, and became a senior counsel in 2020. From 1977 to 2009, he was resident in the New York office. Since then he has been resident in New York and London.

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Notable Experience

International Arbitration (Treaty and Commercial)

  • Telecom Italia in entirely defeating a $15 billion claim, one of the largest reported commercial arbitration cases, in an ICC arbitration arising from the settlement of disputes over the control of Brasil Telecom.

  • Vale S.A. in LCIA arbitration seated in London in a dispute arising out of a joint venture agreement related to a West African project governed by English law.

  • The Ministry of Electricity of the Republic of Iraq in obtaining an award in its favor dismissing all claims in a construction dispute in an AAA arbitration and several ICC arbitrations.

  • Valeo in obtaining a $67 million award in its favor in a purchase price adjustment accounting arbitration.

  • Kookmin Bank in obtaining an award in its favor on all claims in an ICC proceeding.

  • Goodyear Tire & Rubber in an ICC arbitration, resulting in the dismissal of substantially all claims against it and a substantial award of costs in its favor.

  • The Bank for International Settlements in arbitrations administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague regarding the mandatory redemption of its privately held shares.

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Litigation and Arbitration

  • The Republic of Argentina in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court addressing whether discovery in aid of execution on property of a foreign state under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act should be limited to property used for commercial activity in the U.S., or can extend to non-commercial assets; and in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court on the scope of review of an arbitral award under a bilateral investment treaty.

  • Vale S.A. in LCIA arbitration seated in London in a dispute arising out of a joint venture agreement related to a West African project governed by English law.

  • ENI North Africa and Promgas in ICC arbitrations concerning price review under their long-term gas supply contracts.

  • The Ministry of Electricity of the Republic of Iraq in obtaining an award in its favor dismissing all claims in a construction dispute in an AAA proceeding and several ICC proceedings.

  • National Westminster Bank and Crédit Lyonnais in lawsuits in New York federal court based upon allegations under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act that the banks are responsible for acts of international terrorism because they maintained accounts for Palestinian charities in England and France.

  • Telecom Italia, the Dominican Republic, Goodyear Tire and Rubber and Sierra Leone in ICC proceedings.

  • Valeo in obtaining a $67 million award in its favor in a purchase price adjustment accounting arbitration.

  • YPF S.A. in a successful AAA arbitration concerning a long-term natural gas supply agreement.

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International and Other Litigation

  • Republic of Argentina v. NML Capital, 134 S. Ct. 2250 (2014) (U.S. Supreme Court case on scope of discovery under Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act).

  • BG plc v. Republic of Argentina, 134 S. Ct. 1198 (2014) (U.S. Supreme Court case on scope of review of arbitral award under bilateral investment treaty).

  • Al-Tamimi v. Adelson, 2017 WL 3738415 (D.D.C. 2017) (dismissal of Alien Tort Statute claims for lack of justiciability under political question doctrine.

  • Rio Tinto PLC v. Vale S.A., 2015 WL 7769534 (S.D.N.Y. 2015) (dismissal of civil RICO claim under statute of limitations and failure to plead RICO “pattern”).

  • Hoffman v. L&M Arts, 2014 WL 4375667 (N.D. Tex. 2014) (grant of judgment as a matter of law in case involving alleged breach of confidentiality agreement involving sale of a valuable painting).

  • Bulgartabac Holding AD v. The Republic of Iraq, 451 Fed. Appx. 9 (2d Cir. 2011) (affirming statute of limitations dismissal of claims against Iraq).

  • NML Ltd v. Banco Central de la Republica Argentina, 652 F. 3d 172 (2d Cir. 2011) (reversal of attachment of central bank reserves).

  • Aurelius Capital Partners v. Republic of Argentina, 584 F.3d 120, (2d Cir. 2009) (reversal of attachment of Argentina pension fund assets).

  • Agrocomplect, AD v. Republic of Iraq, 524 F. Supp. 2d 16 (D.D.C. 2007) (dismissing claims against Republic of Iraq for lack of jurisdiction under FSIA), aff’d, 2008 304 Fed. App’x 872 (D.C. Cir. Nov. 14, 2008).

  • Rubin v. Pixelplus, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17671 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 13, 2007) (denying remand of "pure" Securities Act class action removed to federal court under SLUSA).

  • Banco Nacional de México, S.A. v. Société Générale, 820 N.Y.S.2d 588 (1st Dep’t 2006) (holding that Mexican injunction against payment on letter of credit should not be granted comity as a defense to confirming bank’s claim for reimbursement for payment on conforming demand).

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Selected Activities

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  • Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Chair, International Law Committee, 2001-2004)

  • Executive Committee Member, International Law and Practice Section, New York State Bar Association

Publications

“GE Energy Power Conversion France SAS Corp v. Outokumpu Stainless USA, LLC (2020): Application of U.S. Domestic Arbitration Law to Non-Signatory Enforcement of International Arbitration Agreements, and Other Potential Impacts of Domestic Arbitration Doctrines in International Contexts,” U.S. Supreme Court Precedents on Arbitration: Shaping the American Arbitration Law and Practice, Brill Nijhoff, March 2025

“Second Circuit Rules FSIA Sovereign Immunity Defenses May Be Raised Where a Defendant Gains Sovereign Status After the Lawsuit is Filed,” co-author, Cleary Gottlieb Alert Memorandum, September 8, 2023

Events