Based in Washington, D.C., Blake practices federal taxation, with emphasis on matters relating to partnership and real estate taxation. His practice includes planning, policy and controversy matters. He has extensive experience structuring large partnership and real estate transactions.

Blake is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and in Super Lawyers in both the tax and real estate categories. Chambers USA described him as “a masterful attorney whose expertise in partnerships and real estate is unparalleled;” “phenomenal for partnership tax issues;” “one of the best at tax structuring;” and “an absolutely sterling individual.” Legal 500 “highly recommends” him as an “industry leader” for both partnership and real estate matters; PLC Which Lawyer? recommends him as “highly regarded;” and Washingtonian Magazine named him as one of the top lawyers in Washington, D.C. He is also listed in Who’s Who in America and in Who’s Who in American Law. He has been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell every year since 1997. He is the author of more than 180 professional articles, is a frequent lecturer on tax topics at conferences across the country, and has testified at the invitation of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means as an expert on tax issues.

Blake has been active in both the District of Columbia Bar and the American Bar Association. He served as Chair of the 1,600 member District of Columbia Bar Section of Taxation, and twice served as Chair of its Passthroughs and Real Estate Committee. He served as Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation Real Estate Committee. He serves as Partnership and Real Estate Chair for New York University’s Annual Institute on Federal Taxation, and also serves as Chair of three other annual national tax conferences. He served as Vice Chair of the Tax Policy Advisory Committee of the Real Estate Roundtable, and is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts.

Prior to joining EY in 2016, Blake was Global Vice-Chair of the U.S. & International Tax Group at McDermott Will & Emery and also Head of its Washington Tax Practice. Prior to that, Blake was Chair of the Tax Practice at Arnold & Porter. From 1984 through 1987, Blake served with the Office of Tax Legislative Counsel, U.S. Department of Treasury. He was deeply involved in the development of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 provisions and administrative guidance affecting partnerships and real estate. Before joining the Treasury Department, Blake practiced in Philadelphia and was an Adjunct Professor in Villanova University’s Master of Laws in Taxation program, where he taught courses on tax planning for real estate transactions.

J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif, University of Pennsylvania School of Law

M.B.A., with distinction, Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

B.A., Haverford College