Blake is a partner in the M&A Litigation practice group, where he focuses on litigation relating to Delaware corporations and alternative entities. Described as “a genius, the best writer in Delaware,” and “a complete superstar” (The Legal 500), Blake litigates corporate control, governance, M&A, stockholder class action, derivative, fiduciary, statutory and contractual disputes in the Delaware courts, principally in the Court of Chancery.
An “all-star” and “go-to number-one on complex Chancery Court disputes” who is “extremely good on his feet” and “able to think five steps ahead” (Chambers USA), Blake has been recognized in Chambers USA since 2013 (currently ranked Band 1 for Chancery), Benchmark Litigation since 2013 and The Legal 500 since 2016, among numerous other recognitions.
Blake’s significant representations include:
- QuarterNorth Energy Inc. in litigation related to its acquisition by Talos Energy Inc., including successfully defeating a motion for preliminary injunction.
- The Boeing Company in litigation alleging fraud in connection with statements about the 737 MAX airplane, including obtaining dismissal and defending that dismissal on appeal.
- Oracle Corporation in derivative litigation challenging the acquisition of NetSuite, including defeating a post-trial claim for attorney’s fees.
- Cano Health, Inc. and its board of directors in securing the denial of a motion for preliminary injunction to stop an annual meeting and enjoin the enforcement of an advance-notice bylaw.
- News Corporation in Section 220 litigation, including obtaining dismissal and defending that dismissal on appeal, which established important principles regarding statutory compliance.
- A cosmetics company in litigation regarding an ownership dispute, including successfully invalidating a signed agreement after trial.
- The special committee of AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. in class action litigation challenging a going-private transaction.
- The special committee of Schawk, Inc., including in obtaining dismissal of class action litigation challenging a merger with Matthews International Corporation.
- MHR Institutional Partners IV LP in obtaining dismissal of litigation regarding the sale of Erickson Incorporated.
- Quiznos subsidiaries in defeating a multimillion-dollar indemnification suit brought by former executives.
- Verizon Communications Inc. in obtaining dismissal of derivative litigation claiming wrongful refusal.
- AssuredPartners, Inc. in litigation regarding acquisition by GTCR.
- Papa John’s International, Inc. in a Section 220 trial against John Schnatter.
- Oracle Corporation and the board of Opower, Inc. in obtaining dismissal of a stockholder class action challenging a merger.
- Strata Decision Technology, L.L.C. and Roper Technologies, Inc. in obtaining a preliminary injunction in litigation regarding a non-compete agreement.
- The special committee of Crown Media Holdings, Inc. in litigation challenging a controlling stockholder recapitalization, including defeating an entire-fairness claim and defending the trial judgment on appeal.
- Standard General L.P. and Standard General GP LLC in litigation regarding an acquisition of Standard Diversified, Inc. by Turning Point Brands, Inc.
- The demand committee of Richardson Electronics, Ltd. in securing the dismissal of demand refusal litigation.
- AAR Corp. and its directors in a class action suit challenging a shareholder rights plan.
- Riverstone National, Inc. in combined appraisal and fiduciary litigation challenging merger with Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC.
- A controlling stockholder of a public company, in defeating an entire-fairness merger challenge in the Court of Chancery and defending the trial judgment on appeal.
- RBC Capital Markets, LLC in class and derivative litigation challenging a rights offering.
- Hartmann North America in securing the dismissal of a contract dispute.
- A subsidiary of a public insurance and reinsurance group in litigation challenging cancellation of a Delaware LLC, including defeating a claim for nullification.
- GR Companies, Inc. in securing dismissal in a Section 220 litigation on an issue of first impression.
- The independent directors of Premier, Inc. in stockholder derivative litigation challenging a TRA payment.
- Caraustar Industries, Inc. in winning summary judgment in a contract suit.
- Paine Schwartz Partners, LLC, Verdesian Life Sciences, LLC, and its board of managers in direct and derivative litigation regarding an acquisition, including securing dismissal of derivative claims and direct claims for breach of the operating agreement.
- Dentons US LLP in obtaining an anti-suit injunction of an action for fraud, legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty.
- Lyondell Chemical Company, in obtaining reversal, on appeal, of a denial of summary judgment in litigation challenging a sale to Basell AF, in a seminal opinion regarding standards of good faith.
Blake serves on the Court of Chancery Rules Committee by appointment of the Chancellor of the Court of Chancery. He also served on the Lawyers Advisory Committee of the Judicial Council of the Third Judicial Circuit (2023-2026). Blake served on the drafting subcommittee responsible for the 2010 nonstock amendments to Delaware’s General Corporation Law. He also assisted in drafting the Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act. Blake is a member of the American Law Institute.
A frequent writer and speaker on Chancery litigation and Delaware corporate law topics, Blake co-edited The Delaware Law of Corporations and Business Organizations, co-authored Delaware Nonstock Corporations, co-authored Fundamentals of Corporate Governance: A Guide for Directors and Corporate Counsel, and co-authored The Practitioner’s Guide to the Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act. He also authored Delaware Uniform Citation, which has been adopted by the Court of Chancery as an authority in the Court of Chancery Rules.
In law school, Blake served as an Executive Editor of The Yale Law Journal. He is an adjunct professor at The Ohio State Michael E. Moritz College of Law, where he co-teaches a course on stockholder litigation.
