Practice area

Dispute resolution

Experience

Jonathan practised as a litigation specialist at a leading New York-based firm for six years before joining the International Arbitration Group at Freshfields. His litigation experience included representation of several sovereign clients and a large number of matters involving financial institutions.

At Freshfields, Jonathan has acted as counsel, tribunal secretary and arbitrator. His cases have spanned the construction, infrastructure, mining and oil & gas sectors and he has specialised in investor-state arbitration. Jonathan has appeared in several high-profile investment cases, including:

  • a group of disputes arising from the alleged expropriation of power plants in a European state;
  • a dispute arising from the failure of a World-Bank-funded water project in an African state; and
  • a dispute arising from post-apartheid reforms to South African mining law.

Professional background and education

2004
 - 
 present Associate, Freshfields
2003
 - 
 2004 Counsel, Democracy Program, Brennan Center for Justice, New York
1996
 - 
 2002 Associate, Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
1995
 - 
 1996 Law Clerk, Hon. Judith W. Rogers, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
1994
 - 
 1995 Law Clerk, Hon. Gary L. Taylor, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
1991
 - 
 1994 J.D., University of California, Berkeley (Boalt Hall)
1988
 - 
 1989 M.A. (Political Science), University of California, Berkeley
1984
 - 
 1988 B.A., magna cum laude, Harvard University

Qualifications

1997 Attorney-at-law, New York

Publications

Jonathan has published and presented on a variety of arbitration-related and other legal topics. His publications and presentations include, among others:

  • "No ‘Convincing Explanation’: Setting Aside Poorly Reasoned Awards In The Netherlands.” Mealey’s International Arbitration Report (May 2006).
  • “Observations on Hall Street Associates, L.L.C. v. Mattel, Inc.” Stockholm International Arbitration Review (2008).
  • Guest lecturer, St. Gallen University (multiple years).
  • Guest lecturer, Erasmus University Rotterdam (multiple years).
  • Speaker, "The Energy Charter Treaty: Energy Security, Investment Protection and Future Developments," British Institute of International and Comparative Law (2008).

Languages

English

Contact details

jonathan.gass
@freshfields.com

  • Paris office
  • 2 rue Paul Cézanne
    75008 Paris
    France
  • Telephone
  • +33 1 44 56 33 49
  • Fax
  • +33 1 78 42 33 49