Our Team

Property, Water, Energy and Natural Resources: Blake has considerable experience handling disputes and potential disputes involving property rights, water runoff, energy and natural resources, including:

• Defended group of homebuilders against water code and related claims brought by landowners in connection with development project.
• Prosecuted claims on behalf of property owners against agency in connection with planned draining of public lakes.
• Provided strategic counsel to major shareholder relating to the potential disposition of diverse portfolio of energy assets in multiple regions, including a substantial midstream business.
• Assisted in defense of corporate directors accused of usurping corporate opportunities involving tens of thousands of acres of Eagle Ford leases in jury trial.
• Represented Economic Development Corporation as first chair counsel in prosecuting claims based on unauthorized use of groundwater for large-scale secondary recovery operations in the Permian.
• Represented multiple oil field service providers in prosecuting and defending claims for breach of contract, quantum meruit, unjust enrichment and other related theories.
• Represented oil field service company in investigating fraud and breaches of contract arising out of multi-million-dollar asset purchase.

Financial Services: Defending and advising financial institutions is a cornerstone of Blake’s practice. Some examples of his experience in this area include:

• Represented broker-dealers and financial advisors in arbitrations before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
• Handled internal investigations and represented clients in investigations initiated by self-regulatory organizations and federal and state agencies concerning a variety of issues, including sales practices and regulatory matters.
• Defended financial institutions against claims that they aided and abetted fraudulent schemes allegedly perpetrated by their customers.
• Assisted in the successful defense of a national bank accused of aiding and abetting in a fraudulent investment scheme resulting in tens of millions of dollars in investor losses; defense judgment was obtained following a bench trial to a bankruptcy court.
• Assisted in the defense of a national bank accused of aiding and abetting securities fraud in the life settlement industry involving tens of millions of dollars of alleged investor losses; defense judgment was obtained following an arbitration hearing.
• Advised federally regulated financial institution on a wide range of issues, including regulatory compliance, executive compensation, and general corporate governance.

Employment, Trade Secrets and Data Security: Blake’s practice also includes employment disputes and counseling as well as assisting employers in protecting trade secrets and ensuring security of competitively-valuable electronic data. Examples of Blake’s work in these areas include:

• Prosecuted and defendant claims for theft of trade secrets and alleged violations of restrictive covenants (non-competes and non-solicitation agreements).
• Prosecuted federally regulated financial institution’s claims against former executive for breach of severance agreement and clawback of payments.
• Defended management against civil rights charges as well as claims for wrongful discharge, retaliation and other employment-related charges and torts before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
• Advised employers on personnel handbooks and employment policies and best practices, including employee counseling and termination procedures.
• Conducted multiple internal investigations, including reviews involving potential violations of HIPAA and medical practice standards.
• Negotiated and drafted numerous employment contracts, severance agreements, and staff leasing contracts.
• Represented employers in multiple injunction proceedings to prevent dissemination of sensitive employer data and/or breaches of restrictive covenants (including non-disclosure, non-solicitation, and non-competition provisions) by former employees.
• Prosecuted employer’s claims for breach of an employment contract and violations of the Electronic Stored Communications Act (ESCA) and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) in arbitration against former high-level executive based on failures to return employer’s electronic data and unauthorized access to employer’s software programs and electronic data.
• Defended clients in whistleblower claims under Sarbanes Oxley and Dodd-Frank.
• Defended major hospital system against former employee’s claims for defamation and retaliation in connection with alleged violation of medical practice standards, code of ethics, and hospital policies; partial summary judgment was obtained as to certain claims, complete defense verdict was obtained on the remaining claims following a state court jury trial.
• Advised companies in a range of sectors, including trucking and energy, with respect to potential misclassification exposure and drafted independent contractor agreements and related policies and procedures.

Contractor Disputes: Blake’s experience in disputes involving claims between contractors includes:

• Prosecuted claims on behalf of specialty pump and motor supplier against upstream contractor in connection with a municipal pump station project; complete plaintiff’s judgment was obtained following a week-long jury trial.
• Prosecuted defense contractor’s claims for breach of contract against an exclusive teammate related to a bid to obtain a DOD contract for testing laser guided bombs; plaintiff’s judgment was obtained following a two-week federal jury trial.
• Defended subcontractor against claims by another subcontractor in connection with partial collapse of commercial construction project.
• Prosecuted material and service provider’s claims for breach of contract and quantum meruit as well as lien-related claims against subcontractor in connection with commercial construction project.