Biography: Ronald H. Usem

Mr. Usem's Background & Experience:

Mr. Usem is a graduate of the University of Minnesota; a graduate of Cornell Law School (63); a private practice attorney; and a partner with Huffman, Usem, Crawford & Greenberg, PA, since 1995 (see law firm web site at www.huscglaw.com.). Mr. Usem's practice emphasis is in transportation issues of all types, employment issues, and a wide variety of corporate transactions.

Membership/Affiliations:

Mr. Usem is a member of the Transportation Lawyers Association; Transportation Intermediaries Association and a member of its Directors Circle; Conference of Freight Counsel; and Transportation Club of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Mr. Usem was former Counsel to the Northern Midwest Chapter of Transportation Brokers conference of America; and member and past President of the Midwest Chapter of Association of Transportation Practitioners (now Association for Transportation Law, Logistics & Policy).

Mr. Usem has 28 years extensive transportation experience, including:

• The representation of property brokers, freight forwarders, 3 PL's, shippers, receivers and carriers in the USA and Canada.
  
  
• Negotiation, drafting and analysis of shipping contracts.
  
  
• Risk analysis and review of insurance coverages, negotiation of insurance contracts for FMCSA authorized property brokers, and litigation of insurance claims.
  
  
• Litigating freight charge and freight loss and damage claims, double brokering and double-payment issues; freight held hostage, collection issues, CSA 2010 compliance issues, advising clients on carrier qualification issues, operating authority, bills of lading, and other transportation-related issues.
  
  
• Preparation, advising and enforcement of non-compete/ non-solicitation agreements, negotiation and drafting Severance Agreements, advising and drafting of Employee Manuals/ Handbooks, advising clients on difficult termination of employment issues.
  
  
• The negotiation of leasing, factoring, and other corporate contract matters, including mergers and acquisitions.
  
  
• Practice in state and federal courts, including U.S. District Court, Minnesota; U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit; and the U.S. Supreme Court and other state and federal courts in the United States on a pro hac vice basis.

Mr. Usem has regularly conducted seminars and has acted as panelist at the national Transportation Intermediaries Association annual meetings, the Transportation Lawyers Association regional meetings in Chicago Illinois, on a variety of transportation topics; is a former chairman of the Bylaws Committee of TIA; is a regular contributing author of transportation law articles for "Logistics Journal" magazine of TIA. Some of his articles can be seen in the News section of this site. Mr. Usem has conducted seminars at regional meetings of Transportation Credit Managers Association and has been a speaker at local traffic clubs.

Awards:

• Transportation Intermediaries Association Industry Achievement Award April 2011
  TIA Carrier Selection Committee
  
  
• Transportation Intermediaries Association 2010 Industry Advancement Award
  Certified Transportation Broker Program
  
  
• Transportation Intermediaries Association 2010 Industry Advancement Award
  TIA Model Broker- IMC Contract
  
  
• Transportation Intermediaries Association 2007 Industry Advancement Award
  TIA Co -Broker Model Contract
  
  
• Transportation Intermediaries Association 2007 Industry Advancement Award
  TIA Motor Carrier Qualification Framework
  
  
• Transportation Intermediaries Association 2006 Industry Advancement Award
  TIA Model Broker/ Carrier Contract
  
  
• Transportation Intermediaries Association 2005 Industry Advancement Award
  TIA/NITL Broker/ Shipper Model Contract