Jason Baltimore

Jason Baltimore is a partner and member of Best Best & Krieger LLP’s Municipal Law, Public Finance, Public Infrastructure, and Open Government and Ethics Practice Groups. A 22-year U.S. Navy veteran, Jason calls on his extensive experience with the Federal government to help clients manage the interplay of their legal matters with government policies, laws, and regulations.

Municipal Law
In addition to advising public agencies on the legalities of their day-to-day operations, Jason serves as the General Counsel for the City of Ontario Financial Services Agency and manages the City of San Bernardino Finance, Police, Human Resources, and Parks and Recreation portfolios.

Public Finance
In this role, Jason advises clients on a wide range of public projects from start to finish, or at various points as needed during project progress. He advises clients on a variety of matters, including facilities funding, public agency bonds, public contracts, Mello-Roos community facilities districts, lease financings, taxation, and other transactions.

Public Infrastructure
In this role, Jason assists clients with the various types of agreements (including utility services agreements, cost reimbursement agreements, leases, license agreements, company agreements, easements, and all ancillary agreements) and orders and resolutions authorizing such agreements. Jason also advises a wide variety of local government agencies to creatively plan for, negotiate, and implement projects that improve communities and expand local government services. He guides clients through the process of constructing and improving public infrastructure and facilities, including projects that are grant-funded. He advises on major construction and renovation projects in public investment and works with agencies to implement alternative options to deliver projects on time and on budget. 

Open Government and Ethics 
In this role, Jason provides advice and training to local government leaders throughout the state on issues of governance, ethics, and transparency.

Jason previously served as the General Counsel for the Architect of the Capitol for over 10 years, a unique agency responsible for maintaining and preserving nearly 40 legislative branch historic facilities on Capitol Hill on behalf of the U.S. Congress. He guided a 16-person team that advised the agency and the Congressional community on a full spectrum of legal issues involving contracts and procurement, real estate, legislation, labor and employment, ethics, environmental law, budgetary, national security, and emergency response and preparedness of the Capitol complex matters. Jason notably spearheaded the response to requests for information (including damage estimates and camera footage) related to the events of January 6, 2021, from Congress, the Department of Justice, the House Select Committee, and other law enforcement agencies.

Jason also previously served as a member of the U.S. Navy’s Judge Advocate General Corps, where he was the Managing Attorney for two Navy installations establishing new security zones/restricted areas with the U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers in response to the USS COLE and World Trade Center terrorist attacks (Naval Base San Diego); and negotiating treaties and international agreements with Spain and Portugal (Naval Base Rota, Spain). Jason also advised the Army Multi-National Corps-Iraq and United Nations combat staffs on operational matters affecting the 24K Iraqi prisoners in U.S. detention facilities, as well as conducted rules of engagement training to U.S. troops embedded within the Iraqi Army. 
A veteran of Desert Shield/Desert Storm and the Iraqi military campaigns, Jason received the Bronze Star Medal and 25 additional unit/campaign awards and ribbons.

Jason is originally from Detroit, Michigan, and has been married to his wife Dianna for almost 30 years. His two daughters are both serving in the U.S. Navy after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. Jason is a huge sports fan and enjoys working out, skiing, swimming, and golfing.