John Malutinok
Senior Associate
201 17th Street NW
Suite 1700
Atlanta, GA 30363
John is a results-driven real estate and capital markets attorney who handles the full spectrum of real estate development, acquisitions, dispositions, and financing across diverse asset classes. He utilizes his broad experience to find innovative solutions to fit the needs of his clients in a wide variety of sectors.
John regularly negotiates, drafts, and advises clients...
John is a results-driven real estate and capital markets attorney who handles the full spectrum of real estate development, acquisitions, dispositions, and financing across diverse asset classes. He utilizes his broad experience to find innovative solutions to fit the needs of his clients in a wide variety of sectors.
John regularly negotiates, drafts, and advises clients on purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, closing documents, and joint venture agreements, and has extensive experience managing all aspects of diligence, including review of title, survey, land use, and entitlements. John also assists clients with commercial leasing matters for landlords and tenants. John’s real estate experience spans diverse asset classes, including multi-family, industrial, self-storage, office, hospitality, telecommunication, retail, and mixed-use developments.
With a background as a judicial law clerk and commercial litigator, John brings a strategic perspective to every transaction—helping clients to mitigate risk, anticipate challenges, streamline negotiations, and close deals.
on purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, closing documents, and joint venture agreements, and has extensive experience managing all aspects of diligence, including review of title, survey, land use, and entitlements. John also assists clients with commercial leasing matters for landlords and tenants. John’s real estate experience spans diverse asset classes, including multi-family, industrial, self-storage, office, hospitality, telecommunication, retail, and mixed-use developments.
With a background as a judicial law clerk and commercial litigator, John brings a strategic perspective to every transaction—helping clients to mitigate risk, anticipate challenges, streamline negotiations, and close deals.
Experience
Previous Professional Experience
- Real Estate Associate, Atlanta-based law firm (2024–2025)
- Owner, Malutinok Law LLC (Jan. 2024-March 2024)
- Real Estate Associate, Alanta-based boutique corporate firm (2021-2024)
- Associate, Athens, Georgia-based boutique business firm (2019-2021)
Representative Matters
Real Estate Transactions
- Represented national restaurant chain in exercise of purchase option under existing ground lease.
- Represented municipality in negotiation and acquisition of fee simple and easement rights to several right-of-way parcels for construction of multi-use path.
- Represented purchasers and sellers in acquisitions and dispositions of multi-tenant office buildings involving ongoing construction, diverse tenant inducements, indemnity and holdback issues, time-sensitive 1031 matters, brownfield issues and bond-for-title structures.
- Represented developer-seller in disposition of $58 million build-to-suit industrial project involving ongoing construction and post-closing indemnity issues.
- Represented seller in disposition of $40 million beachfront hotel involving renegotiation of existing ground lease with state park lessor.
- Represented purchaser in acquisition of riverfront hotel involving franchise transfer and renegotiation of cell tower easement.
- Represented self-storage developer in connection with acquisition of multi-state raw land portfolio involving related purchases of oil, gas and mineral interests.
- Represented borrower in connection with $14 million hotel refinance involving delicate franchise issues.
- Represented real estate company specializing in QSR sites in drafting and negotiating leases and lease transfers involving various national tenants.
- Represented national construction supply company in negotiation and drafting of multi-state and cross-border tenant-side industrial leases.
- Represented office landlord in lease novations with federal government tenants.
Real Estate and Commercial Disputes
- Defended mining contractor in prelitigation matters involving potential scope-of-work claims.
- Obtained full reimbursement of damages and attorneys’ fees on behalf of national, hospitality-based real estate investment trust involving collapse of parking lot retaining wall.
- Assisted debtor in successful loan workout involving portfolio of mobile home parks.
- Defended talent recruitment agency against ADA claims brought by former employer in federal district court resulting in an award of summary judgment.
- Prosecuted general contractor’s breach of contract claims against subcontractor in connection with change orders and construction defects involving high-end student housing development.
- Represented secured lender in multiple forbearances involving business assets and intellectual property collateral.
- Defended multiple syndicated conservation easement sponsors against federal district court claims and U.S. Department of Justice investigation.
- Prosecuted breach of contract and fraudulent transfer claims on behalf of private secured lender.
- Represented multiple SaaS businesses in negotiation and drafting of partnership agreements and professional service agreements.
General Corporate Transactions
- Represented mining contractor in negotiation and drafting of multiple services contracts.
- Represented retail heavy equipment dealer in renegotiation of floor plan financing loan with institutional lender.
- Represented franchisee partnership in its assignment of franchise interests to fried chicken restaurants to third party transferee.
Publications
- Author, Beyond Actual Bias: A Fuller Approach To An Impartiality In School Exclusion Cases, 38 CHILD. LEGAL RTS. J. 2 (2018)
- Author, What to Expect When Your Employee Is Expecting: Anticipating Young v. UPS, The Atlanta Lawyer (2014)
- Author, Jeb of the Mountains, Gray’s Sporting Journal (2023)
Education
-
University of Georgia School of Law,
JD,
cum laude
(2016)
- Equal Justice Fellow (2014)
- Georgia State University, MA, Teaching, magna cum laude (2011)
- James Madison University, BA, English (2006)
Admissions
- Georgia
Clerkships
- Law Clerk, the Honorable J. Clay Fuller, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (2016 - 2019)
Practice Areas
Industries
Previous Professional Experience
- Real Estate Associate, Atlanta-based law firm (2024–2025)
- Owner, Malutinok Law LLC (Jan. 2024-March 2024)
- Real Estate Associate, Alanta-based boutique corporate firm (2021-2024)
- Associate, Athens, Georgia-based boutique business firm (2019-2021)
Representative Matters
Real Estate Transactions
- Represented national restaurant chain in exercise of purchase option under existing ground lease.
- Represented municipality in negotiation and acquisition of fee simple and easement rights to several right-of-way parcels for construction of multi-use path.
- Represented purchasers and sellers in acquisitions and dispositions of multi-tenant office buildings involving ongoing construction, diverse tenant inducements, indemnity and holdback issues, time-sensitive 1031 matters, brownfield issues and bond-for-title structures.
- Represented developer-seller in disposition of $58 million build-to-suit industrial project involving ongoing construction and post-closing indemnity issues.
- Represented seller in disposition of $40 million beachfront hotel involving renegotiation of existing ground lease with state park lessor.
- Represented purchaser in acquisition of riverfront hotel involving franchise transfer and renegotiation of cell tower easement.
- Represented self-storage developer in connection with acquisition of multi-state raw land portfolio involving related purchases of oil, gas and mineral interests.
- Represented borrower in connection with $14 million hotel refinance involving delicate franchise issues.
- Represented real estate company specializing in QSR sites in drafting and negotiating leases and lease transfers involving various national tenants.
- Represented national construction supply company in negotiation and drafting of multi-state and cross-border tenant-side industrial leases.
- Represented office landlord in lease novations with federal government tenants.
Real Estate and Commercial Disputes
- Defended mining contractor in prelitigation matters involving potential scope-of-work claims.
- Obtained full reimbursement of damages and attorneys’ fees on behalf of national, hospitality-based real estate investment trust involving collapse of parking lot retaining wall.
- Assisted debtor in successful loan workout involving portfolio of mobile home parks.
- Defended talent recruitment agency against ADA claims brought by former employer in federal district court resulting in an award of summary judgment.
- Prosecuted general contractor’s breach of contract claims against subcontractor in connection with change orders and construction defects involving high-end student housing development.
- Represented secured lender in multiple forbearances involving business assets and intellectual property collateral.
- Defended multiple syndicated conservation easement sponsors against federal district court claims and U.S. Department of Justice investigation.
- Prosecuted breach of contract and fraudulent transfer claims on behalf of private secured lender.
- Represented multiple SaaS businesses in negotiation and drafting of partnership agreements and professional service agreements.
General Corporate Transactions
- Represented mining contractor in negotiation and drafting of multiple services contracts.
- Represented retail heavy equipment dealer in renegotiation of floor plan financing loan with institutional lender.
- Represented franchisee partnership in its assignment of franchise interests to fried chicken restaurants to third party transferee.
Publications
- Author, Beyond Actual Bias: A Fuller Approach To An Impartiality In School Exclusion Cases, 38 CHILD. LEGAL RTS. J. 2 (2018)
- Author, What to Expect When Your Employee Is Expecting: Anticipating Young v. UPS, The Atlanta Lawyer (2014)
- Author, Jeb of the Mountains, Gray’s Sporting Journal (2023)
Media
Recognitions
- Ones to Watch in field of Real Estate Law, Best Lawyers® (2026)
Professional Activities
- Member, International Council of Shopping Centers
- Member, Urban Land Institute
- Member, Circle of Trust – Atlanta
- Member, Atlanta Bar Association, Real Estate Section
Community
- Vice President, Athens Eagles Rugby Football Club
John is a results-driven real estate and capital markets attorney who handles the full spectrum of real estate development, acquisitions, dispositions, and financing across diverse asset classes. He utilizes his broad experience to find innovative solutions to fit the needs of his clients in a wide variety of sectors.
John regularly negotiates, drafts, and advises clients... on purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, closing documents, and joint venture agreements, and has extensive experience managing all aspects of diligence, including review of title, survey, land use, and entitlements. John also assists clients with commercial leasing matters for landlords and tenants. John’s real estate experience spans diverse asset classes, including multi-family, industrial, self-storage, office, hospitality, telecommunication, retail, and mixed-use developments.
With a background as a judicial law clerk and commercial litigator, John brings a strategic perspective to every transaction—helping clients to mitigate risk, anticipate challenges, streamline negotiations, and close deals.
Experience
The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.Previous Professional Experience
- Real Estate Associate, Atlanta-based law firm (2024–2025)
- Owner, Malutinok Law LLC (Jan. 2024-March 2024)
- Real Estate Associate, Alanta-based boutique corporate firm (2021-2024)
- Associate, Athens, Georgia-based boutique business firm (2019-2021)
Representative Matters
Real Estate Transactions
- Represented national restaurant chain in exercise of purchase option under existing ground lease.
- Represented municipality in negotiation and acquisition of fee simple and easement rights to several right-of-way parcels for construction of multi-use path.
- Represented purchasers and sellers in acquisitions and dispositions of multi-tenant office buildings involving ongoing construction, diverse tenant inducements, indemnity and holdback issues, time-sensitive 1031 matters, brownfield issues and bond-for-title structures.
- Represented developer-seller in disposition of $58 million build-to-suit industrial project involving ongoing construction and post-closing indemnity issues.
- Represented seller in disposition of $40 million beachfront hotel involving renegotiation of existing ground lease with state park lessor.
- Represented purchaser in acquisition of riverfront hotel involving franchise transfer and renegotiation of cell tower easement.
- Represented self-storage developer in connection with acquisition of multi-state raw land portfolio involving related purchases of oil, gas and mineral interests.
- Represented borrower in connection with $14 million hotel refinance involving delicate franchise issues.
- Represented real estate company specializing in QSR sites in drafting and negotiating leases and lease transfers involving various national tenants.
- Represented national construction supply company in negotiation and drafting of multi-state and cross-border tenant-side industrial leases.
- Represented office landlord in lease novations with federal government tenants.
Real Estate and Commercial Disputes
- Defended mining contractor in prelitigation matters involving potential scope-of-work claims.
- Obtained full reimbursement of damages and attorneys’ fees on behalf of national, hospitality-based real estate investment trust involving collapse of parking lot retaining wall.
- Assisted debtor in successful loan workout involving portfolio of mobile home parks.
- Defended talent recruitment agency against ADA claims brought by former employer in federal district court resulting in an award of summary judgment.
- Prosecuted general contractor’s breach of contract claims against subcontractor in connection with change orders and construction defects involving high-end student housing development.
- Represented secured lender in multiple forbearances involving business assets and intellectual property collateral.
- Defended multiple syndicated conservation easement sponsors against federal district court claims and U.S. Department of Justice investigation.
- Prosecuted breach of contract and fraudulent transfer claims on behalf of private secured lender.
- Represented multiple SaaS businesses in negotiation and drafting of partnership agreements and professional service agreements.
General Corporate Transactions
- Represented mining contractor in negotiation and drafting of multiple services contracts.
- Represented retail heavy equipment dealer in renegotiation of floor plan financing loan with institutional lender.
- Represented franchisee partnership in its assignment of franchise interests to fried chicken restaurants to third party transferee.
Publications
- Author, Beyond Actual Bias: A Fuller Approach To An Impartiality In School Exclusion Cases, 38 CHILD. LEGAL RTS. J. 2 (2018)
- Author, What to Expect When Your Employee Is Expecting: Anticipating Young v. UPS, The Atlanta Lawyer (2014)
- Author, Jeb of the Mountains, Gray’s Sporting Journal (2023)
Education
-
University of Georgia School of Law,
JD,
cum laude
(2016)
- Equal Justice Fellow (2014)
- Georgia State University, MA, Teaching, magna cum laude (2011)
- James Madison University, BA, English (2006)
Admissions
- Georgia
Clerkships
- Law Clerk, The Honorable J. Clay Fuller, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (2016 - 2019)
Practice Areas
Industries
- Ones to Watch in field of Real Estate Law, Best Lawyers® (2026)
- Member, International Council of Shopping Centers
- Member, Urban Land Institute
- Member, Circle of Trust – Atlanta
- Member, Atlanta Bar Association, Real Estate Section
- Vice President, Athens Eagles Rugby Football Club
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