Jason J. Blake

Jake’s primary focus is providing his construction clients with start-to-finish legal services. Whether it’s negotiating construction documents, navigating the many pitfalls of “challenged” projects, or being a fierce advocate if and when a dispute arises, Jake has the technical and practical expertise to get the best result for his clients.

Jake is also an experienced commercial litigator and has handled all aspects of complex litigation in state and federal courts, representing clients based in the United States and abroad. He has significant experience at both the trial court and appellate levels.

Jake possesses both the creativity and legal acumen to efficiently solve his clients’ problems. He has ample experience in formal and informal dispute resolution and always strives to find unique solutions that fit his clients’ needs.

Prior to beginning his legal career, Jake served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army where he completed two combat tours in Iraq with the 25th Infantry Division.

Honors & Recognitions

• Benchmark Litigation's "Future Star" Ohio (2024); “40 & Under List," Midwest and Ohio: Construction, White Collar Crime, and Commercial Litigation (2021-2023)
• The Best Lawyers in America^® "Ones To Watch," Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, and Litigation - Construction (2021-2022)
• Ohio Super Lawyers, Ohio Rising Stars (2015-2021)

Education

J.D., cum laude, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Chief Articles Editor, Ohio State Law Journal, 2011 

B.A. in History, cum laude, Stetson University, 2003

Experience

Representative Business, Corporate, and Commercial Litigation Matters

• Served as lead litigation counsel for one of the nation’s premier retirement systems. The client issued an RFP for the administration of its Medicare and non-Medicare healthcare benefits plans beginning January 1, 2024. After a thorough evaluation of the applicants, the client selected a healthcare services provider as a single provider for both the Medicare and non-Medicare benefits. An unrelated private health insurer challenged the selection process and filed a TRO to prevent the client from executing the contract with the selected provider and from proceeding with the selected provider as a single provider of medical benefits for the over 110,000 retirees. The unrelated private health insurer’s main arguments were that the client did not follow the state’s public procurement statutes and that the client violated the RFP in numerous ways, including, but not limited to, relying on unannounced criteria, communicating directly with applicants outside the RFP process, ignoring certain federal standards pertaining to the administration of Medicare plans, and by rejecting the recommendation of a third-party hired to assist the client with the RFP process. Because of the TRO, and because the client had limited time to complete contract negotiations before the January 1, 2024 go-live date, the case was set on an expedited track. The Court granted our client’s motion for summary judgment. Shortly thereafter, the unrelated private health insurer filed an appeal; however, before their appellate brief was due, the party dismissed the appeal. It was a complete victory for Calfee’s client.
• Serving as lead litigation counsel to two former owners/officers as well as a separate and distinct but related neuroscience-focused nonprofit organizations on the West Coast in a matter involving the plaintiffs and defendants who jointly owned (or own) and managed (or manage) a neuroscience-focused private company in the Midwest that is actively engaged in ground-breaking and important scientific and intellectual property-based research and fundraising. Calfee’s clients allege that they have been victimized and mistreated by the Defendant company and its current management personnel and have been negatively impacted by intentional and negligent misconduct and poor decisions, which misconduct has harmed Plaintiffs directly, as well as the Midwestern Neuroscience company.
• Served as lead litigation counsel to our pharmaceutical company client as part of the National Opioid Litigation brought by virtually every state and municipality in the country. It is the largest or one of the largest tort cases in U.S. history. The Attorney General of Ohio sued opioid manufacturers, including Calfee’s client and its related entities for damages arising out of the marketing, sales, and distribution of opioid-related products. This matter is part of an industry-wide litigation against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and medical professionals brought by states and municipalities across the country, claiming that the opioid industry misled the public about the dangers of opioid addiction.
• Served as lead litigation counsel to a publicly traded, Fortune 500, multi-billion-dollar chemical company. Calfee’s client acquired a business unit from a competitor and assumed responsibility for its litigation with a private chemical company. The litigation involved a dispute over a plant closure and the resulting termination of a supply agreement for hydrochloric acid. The case presents unique questions of law relating to a company’s legal basis for avoiding contractual obligations due to a plant closure. The case also involves novel questions relating to the calculation of damages under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).
• Serving as lead counsel in a litigation matter involving the prosecution, on behalf of the client, of fraud, civil conspiracy, fiduciary duty, derivative claim, promissory estoppel, and unjust enrichment against the Defendants.
• Served as foreclosure and collections counsel for a foreign limited liability company client with respect to defaults on a secured promissory note. The client purchased a loan made to several medical practice entities owned by or affiliated with one specific doctor. The note was secured by mortgages on four different commercial properties. Calfee obtained a cognovit judgment against several borrowers and guarantors and is foreclosing on the secured properties.
• Successfully defended a foreign government against claims worth over $1 billion in a five-week trial in federal court.
• Obtaining a $27.8 million judgment in a bank fraud proceeding on summary judgment.
• Achieving the dismissal of a complaint for fraud and breach of fiduciary duty against a multinational financial services corporation.
• Obtaining the dismissal of a complaint seeking $10 million for alleged RICO violations.
• Negotiating favorable settlements in numerous collective actions.
• Obtaining summary judgment dismissing an ERISA action against a fund’s former business manager.
• Obtaining appellate reversal of a trial court’s entry of a temporary restraining order in a case involving the sale of a $30 million business.
• Helping a local, small business recover over $1 million in funds stolen by its former president and CEO.
• Obtaining the dismissal of a complaint for breach of contract and recovering over $750,000 for the settlement of the client’s counterclaims against its former supplier.
• Assisting owners and tenants in numerous commercial real estate transactions and disputes.
• Representing owners in administrative proceedings before local tax authorities and the Board of Tax Appeals.
• Representing craft brewers in disputes over distribution rights under the Ohio Alcoholic Beverage Franchise Act.

Representative Construction and Construction Litigation Matters

• Representing a large Midwestern university in relation to the client's expansion of its medical center and campus. The University began the construction of a new energy plant, which will generate cooling and heating for several new buildings, including a new cutting-edge medical center. Due to the size, complexity, and regulatory issues impacting the project, the University selected Calfee’s construction practice to help advise and guide the project through construction and completion. Calfee has been asked to prepare materials for Board approval, draft construction documents and addendums, prepare regulatory filings, and take part in strategy sessions with the University’s project team.
• Represented a state-wide coalition of construction-related trade associations to provide constant updates on legal developments in the construction industry. We also provide government relations support and routinely interface with relevant state agencies on the client’s behalf. Recently, the client and Calfee have partnered on preparing a Midwestern region for the construction of a major new manufacturing plant, which is anticipated to create thousands of jobs.
• Obtaining over $1 million in unpaid change orders on behalf of a design-builder for a public construction project.
• Avoiding millions of dollars of liquidated damages claimed by the State of Ohio against a client.
• Obtaining a $200,000 judgment against a subcontractor who committed fraud.
• Drafting and negotiating various construction contracts and documents in both public and private projects.
• Assisting project owners and contractors in numerous actions involving lien rights, delay claims, and negligence actions.
• Assisting contractors in assembling and submitting bids for public construction contracts.
• Advising clients on safety regulations and contractual obligations during COVID-19.

Representative Aviation and Aviation Litigation Matters

• Defending aircraft owners and aircraft service providers against accident claims.
• Assisting airports and fixed base operators with various legal needs, including lease agreements, litigation, and other business transactions.
• Assisting aviation maintenance facilities and operators to enforce and protect their lien rights.

Representative Energy and Utilities Matters

• Represented a large university client before the Ohio Power Siting Board to obtain approval for a facility to provide power to campus buildings. Since the approval by the PUCO, Calfee has successfully opposed applications for rehearing filed by an environmental organization and continued to work with Commission Staff on construction progress and satisfaction of Commission conditions. Calfee attorneys also have advised the client concerning the Long-Term Lease and Concession Agreement with a joint venture organization and related construction issues involving this energy facility.

Professional & Community

• Builders Exchange of Central Ohio, Member
• Ohio Aviation Association, Member

Publications

Jake is the author of the following articles:

• “Removal: The LLC Problem,” Litigation News, Vol. 17, Issue 2 (Summer 2012)
• “Netflix Imbroglio Illustrates the Risks Securities Firms and Professionals Face from Unregulated Use of Electronic Social Media,” Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP First Alert, Co-Author (December 12, 2012)