John E. Mallonee is a seasoned trial lawyer and municipal attorney with more than 25 years of experience handling complex civil litigation and advising public and private clients on high-stakes legal and governance issues. His practice is rooted in the courtroom, with trial and litigation experience in Colorado, including 9th Judicial District in the Roaring Fork Valley, as well as in state and federal courts in Washington, DC and surrounding areas on the East Coast.

John has represented businesses, investors, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and individuals in matters involving commercial disputes, constitutional and civil rights claims, land use and regulatory enforcement, real estate and contract litigation, as well as municipal governance. Clients rely on him for clear, practical advice grounded in litigation reality — not academic theory — and for strategies that align legal risk with business and operational goals.

Before setting up a practice on the Western Slope, John served as Deputy City Attorney for the City of Thornton and later as Assistant Director of the Civil Litigation Section for the City and County of Denver, where he supervised teams defending complex civil rights, tort, and Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (CGIA) matters. His municipal experience includes defending 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claims, advising police and fire departments, handling liquor and marijuana licensing issues, and counseling elected officials and senior staff on open meetings and open records compliance, land use, elections, contracts, and legislation.

Earlier in his career, John founded and operated a successful business and commercial litigation practice in Colorado and the Washington, D.C. area. As a solo practitioner and outside general counsel he handled cases from commercial arbitrations to contract and homeowner issues in court.

John’s approach is pragmatic, strategic, and direct. He is known for strong case management, clear communication, and an ability to explain complex legal issues in ways that decision-makers can act on with confidence.

Practice Areas

• Civil Litigation & Trial Advocacy
  Representation of businesses and individuals in commercial disputes, contract and real estate litigation, civil rights claims, HOA issues, and regulatory enforcement matters.
• Municipal & Government Law
  Counseling and defense of local governments and public entities on civil rights litigation, CGIA matters, land use, licensing, elections, open meetings and open records compliance, and legislative and policy issues.
• Business & Commercial Disputes
  Litigation and strategic advice for companies and investors involving governance disputes, financial damages, regulatory risk, and high-exposure civil claims.
• Mediation, Arbitration & Neutral Evaluation
  Serving as a neutral to help parties resolve civil disputes efficiently and pragmatically, drawing on decades of litigation and trial experience.

John earned his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he was a Trial Law Academy semifinalist, his M.B.A. from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, and his B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College. He is admitted to practice in Colorado, Maryland, California (inactive) and Washington, DC and has appeared in multiple federal courts and courts of appeal.

John lives in the Roaring Fork Valley, where he spends his free time with his family hiking, skinning uphill on skis, and exploring the mountains that make the Western Slope home, and has recently begun dabbling on the pickleball court.