Jonathan Blute is a partner at Walsworth who focuses his practice on professional and general liability matters, where he brings more than two decades of experience guiding clients through complex disputes. He handles matters involving legal malpractice, employment, commercial litigation, ethics, and real estate, and advises clients on contracts, risk management, and corporate governance.
Jonathan takes a practical, client-centered approach to litigation, focusing not only on outcomes but on helping clients navigate the challenges that come with it. Jonathan anticipates opposing arguments, assesses risk clearly, and communicates in a way that keeps clients informed and at ease. He has first or second chaired eight trials and arbitrations, including four through jury verdict or judgments and has also handled eight federal and state appeals through disposition. Clients rely on Jonathan as both an advocate and a steady advisor during stressful situations, and he takes pride in helping them gain clarity and confidence early in a dispute.
Growing up as one of four children shaped his ability to understand different perspectives, an approach that continues to define his work today. Jonathan brings professionalism, responsiveness, and respect to every matter, grounded in careful preparation, sound judgment, and credibility.
Jonathan is a Certified Specialist in Legal Malpractice Law by the State Bar of California and was named to Super Lawyers’ Northern California Rising Stars list seven times. Outside the office, he enjoys spending time with his daughter, cooking, traveling, playing guitar, and following Boston sports.
- Obtained a 12-0 defense verdict on behalf of defendant/employer in wrongful termination/whistleblower action.
- Obtained a full defense judgment after bench trial on behalf of property/investment manager against investor suit for $2 million regarding employee’s multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme. Also prevailed on defendant’s cross-claims for contractual indemnity. Plaintiff /investor eventually settled by paying over $150K in fees and costs.
- Defended insurance broker against insured suit for allegedly failing to procure requested insurance coverage. Final pretrial settlement demand was for $450K. After motions in limine were filed and just before hearings thereon and jury selection, case settled for $30K.
- Successfully defended attorney clients against several State Bar of California ethics complaint investigations, resulting in full dismissals.
- Prevailed in several appeals before state and federal courts, two of which resulted in published opinions: Flickinger v. Finwall(2022) 85 Cal.App.5th 822 and Riggs v. Prober & Raphael (9th Cir. 2012) 681 F.3d 1097.
- Obtained a full defense award after five-day arbitration in a legal malpractice lawsuit alleging attorney negligence and intentional misconduct in underlying bankruptcy litigation.
- Successful Anti-SLAPP Motion dismissing claim of aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty against probate attorney.
- Co-Author, “Navigating the Black Hole of California’s Mediation Confidentiality Statutes,” San Francisco Attorney, Fall 2018.
- Quoted, “9th Circ. OKs Debt Notices Implying Disputes Must Be Written,” Law360, June 2012.
- Author, “Wading Through Actual Injury and the Discovery Rule in the Wake of Shifren v. Spiro,” Riding the E&O Line, Defense Research Institute, 2012.
- Author, “Take a Deep Breath: With Planning, Landlords Can Assure That Their Property Investments Don’t Disappear in a Cloud of Smoke,” The Registry, 2010
- A Powerful Tool: Section 998 Offers to Compromise, Bar Association of San Francisco Presentation, September 2017
- Potential Medi-Cal Pitfalls in Estate Practice and How to Avoid Them, Bar Association of San Francisco, co-presented with Peter L. Weber, December 2014