Jonathan Charles Balfus

Jonathan C. Balfus is a seasoned litigator with an emphasis in complex business and intellectual property.  Mr. Balfus has extensive experience handling copyright, trademark, fair use, and rights of publicity matters all over the country. He has counseled individual, small business and large corporate clients regarding the strategic use and licensing of all forms of intellectual property. In the entertainment field, Mr. Balfus has represented clients in the television, radio, recording, merchandising and music publishing industries. For several years, Mr. Balfus represented Clear Channel Communications in a series of successful infringement actions over the expansion of national radio brands in California, New York, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, Nevada and Texas.  More recently, Mr. Balfus has focused on new media, Internet issues, domain name and URL disputes, and copyright and trademark registration.  He regularly counsels clients regarding online transactions, commerce and advertising matters.  In his art law practice, Mr. Balfus counsels artists, galleries, collectors and curators in all aspects of the sale, provenance and reproduction of art.

Mr. Balfus graduated with honors from New York University’s College of Arts and Sciences (1985) and School of Law (1988).  While at NYU Law, he clerked for New York Appellate Court Judge Frederick T. Santucci.  He is a member of the State Bars of New York and California and is admitted to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts in the Central, Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts of California.  He is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association.  Prior to establishing his solo practice, Mr. Balfus was a partner with Weiss & Spees, LLP in Los Angeles.