Attorney & Mediator

Jonathan L. Felt

Jonathan is an experienced Attorney and Mediator, focused on helping families through divorce, custody disputes, adoptions, and other family law cases. Jonathan’s experience as a teacher and his love for children help him deeply understand children’s best interests and the effects of family legal issues on both children and their parents. Jonathan has served as Utah Bar Dispute Resolution Section President (2021-2022), Weber County Bar President (2020) and on the Utah Bar Young Lawyer’s Committee (2015-2017) and has received multiple awards for excellence including ABA national Top 40 Young Lawyer (2020-2021), Top Family Law Firm in Layton, UT (2021), Utah Bar Leadership Academy (2018), Utah Bar Pro Bono Young Lawyer of the Year (2017), and Clause Nobel Educator of Distinction (2010).

Before Jonathan founded Felt Family Law, he worked from 2015 to 2016 as General Counsel and Document Control Manager for UST in Layton, UT. Jonathan graduated from Hamline Law magna cum laude (2014) with emphasis in mediation and dispute resolution. He trained as a mediator through Utah’s Domestic and Basic Mediation Courses (2016), the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary (2013), and the US Department of Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute at Patrick AFB, Florida (2005). Jonathan finished in the Top 10 at the ABA National Moot Mediation Representation competition (2013). Prior to law school, Jonathan served as a High School/Middle School teacher in the coastal town of Florence, Oregon (2007-2011) and as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves (2002- 2008). Jonathan received his Master’s Degree in Teaching from Western Oregon University (2005) and his Bachelor Degree in Music from Brigham Young University (1999).

Pre-Law Career Highlights

Prior to law school, Jonathan served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force from 2002 to 2005 and in the Air Force Reserves from 2005 to 2008. He served as a Lieutenant and Section Commander at Malmstrom Air Force Base, MT, and as a Captain and Chief of Military Equal Opportunity for the 939th Air Refueling Wing in Portland, OR.

From 2007 to 2011, Jonathan worked as a middle and high school Choir Teacher for the Siuslaw School District in Florence, OR. Due to the recession and tight school budgets, Jonathan also taught remedial Math and 11th-Grade Health.

Jonathan’s experience as a teacher and his love for children help him deeply understand children’s best interests and the effects of family legal issues on both children and their parents. Jonathan works hard to represent their best interests in court.

Education

  • 1999 – B.A. Music, Brigham Young University
  • 2004 – M.S. Education, Learning Development, Montana State University-Northern
  • 2006 – M.A. Teaching, Western Oregon University
  • 2014 – J.D., Magna Cum Laude, Hamline University School of Law

Legal Training

Jonathan received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 2014 with High Honors (magna cum laude) from Hamline University School of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Jonathan concurrently earned his Certificate in Dispute Resolution from Hamline’s prestigious Dispute Resolution Institute (ranked #2 in the nation).

Accomplishments

In 2017, Jonathan was named Utah’s Young Lawyer Pro Bono Attorney of the Year for his many volunteer efforts helping Utah families, and Jonathan completed training as a Utah Mediator in business and family matters.

Also in 2017, Jonathan joined Open Legal Services in Salt Lake City, a nonprofit law firm dedicated to providing quality, discount legal services for clients at or near poverty guidelines, and he kept Felt Family Law open to continue servicing Ogden families.

In 2018, Jonathan was named a RISING STAR in the field of Family Law by the American Institute of Legal Advocates. When Open Legal Services disbanded, later in 2018, Jonathan returned full time to Ogden and reinvigorated Felt Family Law to continue serving Utah families, primarily in Weber and Davis Counties.

Jonathan was selected for the Utah Bar Leadership Academy in 2019 and served as President of the Weber County Bar Association in 2020. In 2021, Jonathan was recognized nationally by the American Bar Association as a Top 40 on the Rise Young Lawyer and locally as a Best Family Law Attorney in Layton, Utah.

Mediation Background

Jonathan excels not only as an Attorney but also as a Mediator. Jonathan was first trained to mediate in 2005 by the U.S. Department of Defense. Specializing in settling employment and discrimination complaints. In 2013, he traveled to Budapest, Hungary, where he completed additional mediation training focused on resolving international and cross-cultural disputes.

In 2017, Jonathan completed 80 additional hours of mediation training to join the Utah Court Roster of Domestic Mediators. Jonathan’s experience as a teacher, attorney, and cross-cultural mediator make him ideal for custody disputes once again.

Jonathan served on the Utah State Bar Dispute Resolution Section since 2018 and as the Dispute Resolution Section President in 2021 and 2022. Jonathan also served as a volunteer for the pilot Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) program in 2021.

Jonathan regularly mediates Divorce and Child Custody disputes, both for parties with attorneys as well as unrepresented parties.

Awards & Recognition

Jonathan’s passion for work and children has earned him many awards. He received recognition not only as a lawyer but also as a member of the Air Force and as a civilian. The recognitions he received due to his exceptional service to the community and nation include:

  • 2004 341st Operations Group Personnel Manager of the Year
  • 2004 Malmstrom Air Force Base Part-Time Resource Manager of the Quarter
  • 2010 Clause Nobel Teacher of Excellence Award
  • 2017 Utah Pro Bono Publico Young Lawyer of the Year
  • 2018 Rising Star in the Field of Family Law
  • 2019 Utah Bar Leadership Academy
  • 2021 American Bar Top 40 On the Rise Young Lawyer
  • 2021 Layton, Utah, Top Family Law Attorney
  • 2023 Featured in PerceptivX Magazine

Professional Affiliations

Jonathan is constantly involved in the professional community, where he can learn, grow and contribute. Jonathan’s professional affiliations include:

  • UTAH Bar (Since 2015)
  • American Bar Association (ABA)
  • Weber County Bar Association
  • Utah Bar & ABA Family Law Sections
  • ABA Section of Dispute Resolution
  • Utah Bar Litigation Section
  • American Inns of Court, Northern Utah Chapter
  • Reuben Clark Law Society, Ogden Chapter

To schedule an appointment please give us a call at (801) 690-4904