Partner
Jon N.
Banashek
Liz Ridenour (Criminal Matters)
Alanna Moore (Civil Matters)
Anita Tupper (Personal Injury)
Jon Banashek is a partner at Berg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti LLP, where he spent years on the firm’s management committee and currently heads up the criminal practice group. Jon’s expertise extends into complex civil litigation, and he is often engaged or referred by other lawyers to jump into ‘difficult’ cases. He has practiced for more than 25 years and specializes in strategically guiding motivated clients around or through stormy seas through client connection, rigorous preparation, and tireless advocacy. Jon represents Colorado connected clients throughout the world.
Jon’s love of challenge and adventure carries through to his personal life, where he pushes his envelope running, skiing, and wildernessing as much as he can. Jon grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and the “show-me” concept seems to be burned into his DNA.
Experience
Criminal Defense
Jon represents individual and corporate defendants in federal and state courts in a wide variety of matters, including white collar, street crimes (murder, assault, sexual assault, vehicular homicide and assault, domestic violence, theft, drug manufacturing, and sale), protection orders, from investigation, through trial, appellate and post-conviction work. In addition, he handles administrative proceedings such as professional licensure and other collateral consequences for lawyers, doctors, nurses, etc.
Civil Litigation
Jon practices in state and federal court. His caseload includes complex commercial contracts, trust and estate, insurance coverage, fraud, securities fraud, corporate governance, breach of fiduciary duties, civil theft, banking, real estate, and construction. Recently, Jon represented a group of investors who started a national grocery chain. He negotiated settlements with the bankruptcy estate, a Fortune 100 investor, and commercial landlords in a number of different states. He has been admitted pro hac vici on cases in New York, Delaware, California, and Montana. Jon also has considerable experience in water law litigation and appeals.
International Law
For the past several years, Jon has spent a large chunk of his time working on disputes, transactions, and liquidations in England, Jersey, Italy, Malta, Jamaica, BVI Cayman Islands, and many other jurisdictions. Jon has hired and worked with local counsel, accountants, liquidators, and other professional advisors, marshalling resources to protect his clients’ interests.
Personal Injury
In the area of personal injury, Jon has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving serious injury and death in vehicular and workplace accidents and related insurance coverage disputes. Jon has also handled medical malpractice and product liability suits.
EDUCATION & ADMISSIONS
JURIS DOCTOR
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, 1995
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, 1992
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
1995
U.S. District Court, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
1995
Colorado
1995
Professional Associations
Colorado Bar Association, Board of Governors 2007 – 2011
Colorado Bar Foundation, Fellow 2011 – Present
Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association, Member 1995 – Present; Boulder Chapter Co-Chair 2004 – 2010
Boulder County Bar Association, Criminal Law Section 1995 – Present
Boulder County Bar Foundation, Fellow 2010 – Present
Pro Bono
Congregation Har HaShem; Board of Trustees, 2011 – 2013
Congregation Har HaShem; Campaign Committee, 2007 – 2009
Congregation Har HaShem; Ritual Committee, 2009 – 2011
Teens, Inc.; Board of Directors/Advisory, Board Member, 1998 – 2003
Mountain People’s Cooperative; Board of Directors, 1996 – 1998
Seminars
“Guardianships and Conservatorships When They Intersect with Criminal Cases” CLE Presentation, Denver, CO, March 9, 2016
University of Colorado Guest Lecturer, Trial Advocacy, 2014 – 2016
“Appealing Administrative Findings of Child Abuse / Neglect and the Colorado TRAILS Database,” presentation given at the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar monthly meeting, Boulder, Colorado, July 6, 2010
Moderator, Search and Seizure Law, Lorman Education, 2008
Search and Seizure Law, Lorman Education, 2004 – 2007
Criminal Record Sealing, Boulder County Bar Association, 2003 – 2005
Publications
PUBLISHED WORK
Polygraph Examinations: Admissibility and Privilege Issues, Colorado Lawyer,
Vol. 31
PUBLISHED CASES
Burlington Ditch Reservoir & Land Co. v. Metro Wastewater Reclamation Dist., et al., No. 09CA133, 2011 WL 2139902 (Colo. May 31, 2011)
Honors & Awards
Boulder County Bar Association; Young Lawyer of the Year, 2000

In the News

“FACES of Criminal Defense Law”
From left to right: Jon N. Banashek, Jason T. Pink, Kathleen Alt | View to profile here (pages 54-55) Partners, Jon Banashek, Jason Pink and Kathleen Alt, are recognized as "FACES of Criminal Defense Law" in the September/October issue of Colorado Biz, FACES of...
Jon Banashek Hosts AVID Field Experience for Students
On Thursday, April 11, 2019, BHGR Partner, Jon Banashek, hosted the Centaurus High School Senior AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) class for a field experience. The students met with Mr. Banashek and then traveled to the Boulder County Justice Center,...
Blog

“FACES of Criminal Defense Law”
From left to right: Jon N. Banashek, Jason T. Pink, Kathleen Alt | View to profile here (pages 54-55) Partners, Jon Banashek, Jason Pink and Kathleen Alt, are recognized as "FACES of Criminal Defense Law" in the September/October issue of Colorado Biz, FACES of...

Legal Insight: Sealing Criminal Records in Colorado
In August 2019, Colorado expanded eligibility for file sealing. The new laws apply to all cases, including cases from before 2019. “Sealing” a record prevents any member of the public from seeing the case record. The record is not destroyed, but for all public...

COVID-19 Legal Insight: Speedy Trial in Colorado
The recent COVID-19 outbreak has brought new attention to the criminal defendant’s right to a speedy trial. The following explains what the right to a speedy trial means, the typical remedies for a violation, and how COVID-19 has changed the usual analysis. What is a...
Firm Happenings

Client Alert: Summary of New Coronavirus Relief Bill
Authors: Kathleen Alt and Aisha I. May In March 2020, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (the “CARES Act”) was signed into law in order to provide both individuals and businesses with relief. On December 21, 2020, Congress approved the second...

CLIENT ALERT: The Equal Pay For Equal Work Act
Effective January 1, 2021, Colorado employers must take steps to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (“EPEWA” or the “Act). This new law prohibits all employers in the State from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, to include gender...

“Workouts & Workarounds” in Commercial Real Estate
On Tuesday, November 17, 2020, managing partner, Giovanni Ruscitti, moderated a panel on "Workouts and Workarounds" within the Boulder Valley commercial real estate industry. This session was part of BizWest's annual Boulder Valley Real Estate Conference. Joining him...