Jonathan M. Blute
580 California Street
Suite 1100
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: 415.788.1900
Fax: 415.393.8087
Primary Practice Areas
Real Estate
Admissions
- All Courts in the State of California
- United States District Court for the State of California, Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal
Education
- J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law
- B.A., University of Richmond; Leadership Studies, minors in Political Science and Economics
Jonathan M. Blute
Director
Mr. Blute maintains an active trial and appellate practice focused on representing and protecting businesses and professionals from all manner of civil liability - including defense of malpractice, employment, and personal injury claims; as well as offering advice for strategic planning, business formation and governance, contract negotiations, and risk management.
Mr. Blute is adept at identifying those cases in which the most favorable result is an early resolution, or no litigation at all; he has resolved millions of dollars' worth of claims at all stages of litigation, ranging from pre-filing to trial.
Mr. Blute is recognized by the State Bar of California as a Certified Specialist in Legal Malpractice Law. He has also been selected to the Northern California Rising Star list by Super Lawyers magazine seven times since 2013. In his personal life, Mr. Blute admits to being an avid Red Sox fan and a mediocre guitar player.
Representative Matters
- Extensive experience defending professionals against negligent supervision claims arising out of alleged employee criminal conduct. Settled ten-plus related claims arising out of alleged sexual assaults. Obtained defense judgment after trial against a $3 million complaint arising out of employee embezzlement and prevailed on indemnity cross-complaint for defense fees and costs.
- Achieved settlement of a complaint for sexual and racial harassment, battery, and wage violations on behalf of local branch of a national restaurant chain.
- Obtained dismissal of million-dollar legal malpractice complaint on demurrer.
- Obtained summary judgment for national vehicle rental agency on personal injury complaint arising out of trip-and-fall accident in parking lot.
- Settled several construction and design defect cases resolving tens of millions of dollars in potential exposure.
Professional and Community Contributions
Mr. Blute is a member of the State Bar of California and the Bar Association of San Francisco's Legal Malpractice Section Committee.
Selected Publications
- Navigating the Black Hole of California's Mediation Confidentiality Statutes, co-authored with Timothy J. Halloran, San Francisco Attorney, Fall 2018
- Wading through Actual Injury and the Discovery Rule in the Wake of Shifren v. Spiro, Riding the E&O Line, Defense Research Institute, 2012
- 9th Circ. OKs Debt Notices Implying Disputes Must Be Written, law360.com, June 2012 (quoted source in article)
- Take a Deep Breath: With Planning, Landlords Can Assure That Their Property Investments Don't Disappear in a Cloud of Smoke, The Registry, 2010
Selected Presentations
- A Powerful Tool: Section 998 Offers to Compromise, Bar Association of San Francisco, September 21, 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
Published Appellate Decisions
- Riggs v. Prober & Raphael, 681 F.3d 1097, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, June 8, 2012 — published opinion interpreting provision of Federal Debt Collection Reporting Act regulating debt collector's initial communications with debtor.
Unpublished Appellate Decisions
- Lico v. Prioste, et al., California Court of Appeal, First District (2017) – Defeated appeal of summary judgment dismissing legal malpractice complaint on statute of limitations grounds.
- Ruch v. Ackerman, Court of Appeals of California, First District, Division Five, August 31, 2011 – successfully appealed denial of motion to dismiss malicious prosecution case against attorney defendants.
- Jardine v. Twin Creeks, California Court of Appeal, First District, November 24, 2010 – defeated appeal of Homeowners' Association's nonsuit judgment arising out of HOA member's CC&R dispute.
