Overview
Jonathan Baum is a litigator, a criminal defense attorney, and a trusted advisor to leading companies and their executives. A former speechwriter for U.S. presidents, senators, and Fortune 500 CEOs, Jonathan uses his unique ability to tell a compelling story to advocate for his clients in criminal cases, civil matters and regulatory proceedings around the country. Among his recent successes, Jonathan secured dismissals in multiple criminal cases just weeks before prosecutors were set to open their cases.
Jonathan's achievements in white-collar matters span sectors and geography. In just the last few years, he successfully defended senior executives of technology and life sciences companies in some of the highest-profile cases in the Bay Area. He has also represented clients in high-profile federal and state criminal cases involving alleged theft of trade secrets, economic espionage, bribery and fraud. Trusting his judgment, leading companies and state agencies have turned to Jonathan to conduct sensitive internal investigations.
Jonathan is equally comfortable handling complex civil litigations. He has represented clients in business and employment disputes involving some of the largest financial and technology companies in the nation. Clients appreciate Jonathan's willingness to stand firm in settlement discussions, not afraid to try a case if necessary, which often results in favorable settlements. Because many of his cases involve individuals who are the subject of significant media attention, Jonathan has developed a particular capability in managing parallel civil and criminal proceedings, all while under a national media spotlight.
Jonathan was appointed by the judges of the US District Court for the Northern District of California to the federal Criminal Justice Act panel. He serves as an adjunct professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law, and speaks regularly on topics related to white-collar crime, legal ethics, and professional responsibility. Earlier in his career, Jonathan served as a law clerk to a federal district court judge.
- California
- Washington
- District of Columbia
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
- US District Court, Western District of Washington
- Hon. Marsha J. Pechman, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (Seattle)
- J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law, 2011
- M.A., Yale University, 2006
- B.S., Northwestern University, 2002
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
- Secured dismissal weeks before trial for technology company executive charged with criminal trade secret theft.
- Secured dismissal weeks before trial for a military contractor charged with conspiracy to commit bribery related to Iraq War reconstruction efforts.
- Represented employees of a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company in a Medicare fraud investigation.
- Served as lead trial counsel for a tech company employee charged with a criminal offense in California state court. All charges were dismissed after a two-week jury trial.
- Represented the CEO of a major website company in defense of charges related to money laundering and bank fraud.
News & Publications
Client Alerts
Deputy Attorney General Monaco Announces Key Updates to Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policies
October 12, 2022
By: Julia Gatto, Jonathan M. Baum, Iris E. Bennett, Rachel M. Cannon
Press Releases
January 27, 2022