Ken Blakley is a senior trial lawyer with over 35 years’ experience. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation primarily in the areas of oil and gas and environmental law. He has successfully litigated more than 75 extensive and complex cases as lead counsel in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies through jury verdict, judgment, final order or settlement. Ken’s trial and litigation practice has been a unique blend of representing both plaintiffs and defendants in multiple disciplines and industries. Ken’s experience and reputation have earned him listings in peer-reviewed “Top Lawyers-Litigation” and “Best Lawyers in America-Commercial Litigation, Energy Law and Litigation, and Environmental Litigation,” as well as selection to the 2019 Oklahoma SuperLawyers. He also maintains the highest Martindale-Hubbell Preeminent Attorney Recognition (“AV”) rating for skills and ethics. Ken is also an authority on the use of contingency or other alternative fee arrangements in business and commercial lawsuits.
Ken’s energy litigation practice covers almost every type of industry dispute including all facets of the oil and gas lease, conveyances, operating agreements, drilling contracts, purchase and sale agreements, gas purchase contracts, midstream and plant processing agreements, and regulatory orders. He also represents clients in tribal court on issues involving Native American law. He has extensive experience in representing clients in environmental and pollution lawsuits involving contamination to air, land, surface water and groundwater and related toxic tort claims. He was also retained to defend multiple earthquake lawsuits involving alleged seismicity from disposal well practices and has diverse experience before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in the areas of oil and gas pollution and remediation, underground storage tank regulation, telecommunication contracts, and utility power purchase agreements and rate hearings.
In addition to his energy and environmental practice, Ken represents clients in matters involving a variety of business disputes including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, actual and constructive fraud, and other alleged tortious activity. These matters cover a cross-section of industries from telecommunications to healthcare and manufacturing. He has prosecuted and defended shareholder actions involving closely held, private corporations or limited liability companies where one or more owners are alleged to have committed self-dealing, waste or embezzlement of the entity’s money or property, as well as actions involving distributions under family wills and trusts.
During his career, Ken has lectured in over 30 seminars on behalf of numerous academic and professional organizations. His recent presentations include:
- Managing the Testifying Expert in Pollution Cases: The Daubert Challenge
- Corporate Counsel’s Attorney-Client Privilege: The Common Interest Privilege
- Contingency Fees in Commercial and Business Disputes: An Alternative
Ken also spent two tenures as an Adjunct Professor for the University of Oklahoma teaching oil, gas and environmental law.
Contact info:
Phone: 405.848.8300
Email: KBlakley@ELBattorneys.com