Denton, Blake T.

Blake T. Denton

Partner

blake.denton@lw.com
    Denton, Blake T.

    Blake T. Denton

    Partner

    blake.denton@lw.com

    Profile

    Blake Denton is a litigation partner in the New York office of Latham & Watkins and a member of the Securities Litigation & Professional Liability Practice. Blake is an accomplished trial lawyer whose practice includes particular emphasis on securities litigation, M&A cases, and bankruptcy cases.

    Blake's securities defense engagements include cases for General Electric and its directors/officers, where the plaintiffs allege billions of dollars in damages related to disclosures regarding GE’s power and insurance businesses. Blake regularly litigates in bankruptcy courts across the country, where he has prevailed in “battles of the experts” on valuation and confirmed plans of reorganization over creditors’ objections. Blake also defends merger disputes, including in the Delaware Court of Chancery. In federal and state cases over issues of first impression, Blake obtained a series of trial and appellate victories for a lender to a Ponzi scheme, where the plaintiffs collectively sought approximately US$500 million in damages.

    Blake has an active pro bono practice, winning asylum for immigrants and a jury verdict for an inmate against his warden for unconstitutional conditions. Blake also helps Holocaust survivors and their spouses obtain compensation from the German government.

    Blake is named an NY Metro Rising Star by Super Lawyers. He has served on the firm’s Associates Committee and Mentoring Committee, and is the staffing partner for the New York Litigation & Trial Department. Prior to joining Latham, Blake clerked for Judge Phyllis A. Kravitch, US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He graduated summa cum laude from Brooklyn Law School in 2008 and obtained his BA, with highest honors, from Rutgers University in 2005. 

    Experience

    • Following five day trial, obtained complete victory in dispute over valuation of debtors’ assets and confirmed plan of reorganization over the objection of creditors’ committee. In re Emerge Energy Servs. LP, 2019 Bankr. LEXIS 3717 (Bankr. D. Del. 2019)
    • Only defendant to obtain complete dismissal in 69-page SDNY opinion in fraud lawsuit related to shareholder buyout and subsequent M&A transaction. Pentacon BV v. Vandergaegen, -- F. Supp. 3d --, 2024 WL 1255992 (S.D.N.Y. 2024).
    • Following ~$100 billion stock drop, obtained dismissal of vast majority of securities fraud claims related to alleged misleading statements about GE’s power and insurance businesses.  Obtained complete dismissal in one case (affirmed on appeal) and dismissal of the vast majority of claims in the other (with trial approaching in 2024 on the remaining claims). In re Gen. Elec. Sec. Litig., 2020 WL 2306434 (S.D.N.Y. 2020), aff’d, 844 Fed. Appx. 385 (2d Cir. 2021); Sjunde Ap-Fonden v. Gen. Elec. Co., 417 F. Supp. 3d 379 (S.D.N.Y. 2019); Sjunde Ap-Fonden v. Gen. Elec. Co., 2021 WL 311003 (S.D.N.Y. 2021).
    • Obtained dismissal of conspiracy and aiding and abetting fraud claims on novel standing theories in three cases against a lender to a Ponzi scheme. Two of those decisions were appealed, and both were affirmed – one by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the other by the Minnesota Court of Appeals (review denied by the Minnesota Supreme Court). Ritchie Cap. Mgmt. v. Gen. Elec. Cap. Corp., 121 F. Supp. 3d 321 (S.D.N.Y. 2015), aff’d, 821 F.3d 349 (2d Cir. 2016); Greenpond S., LLC v. Gen Elec. Capital Corp., 2016 WL 4128160 (Minn. Dist. Ct.), aff’d, 886 N.W.2d 649 (Minn. Ct. App. 2016), review denied, A16-0350 (Minn. 2017); Gecker v. Gen Elec. Capital Corp., 2015 WL 5086398 (N.D. Ill. 2015)
    • Obtained dismissal of securities fraud claims for company and senior officer related to disclosures leading up to the company’s termination of its CEO. Plaintiff elected not to appeal. Fries v. N. Oil & Gas, Inc., 285 F. Supp. 3d 706 (S.D.N.Y. 2018); 354 F. Supp. 3d 384 (S.D.N.Y. 2018)
    • Obtained trial court dismissal and affirmance by the Delaware Supreme Court in an M&A strike suit regarding controlling stockholder take-private transaction. In re Books-A-Million, Inc. Stockholders Litig., 2016 WL 5874974 (Del. Ch. 2016), aff’d, 164 A.3d 56 (Del. 2017)
    • Defeated motion for preliminary injunction following multi-day fact and expert witness hearing. Access Bus. Group Int’l, LLC v. Restorsea LLC, 16 CV 2130 (S.D.N.Y. 2016)
    • Defeated $80 million contract claim in arbitration related to joint venture to launch online sports betting business
    • Represented plaintiff, overcame a fraud defense, and won $200 million award in an arbitration for the seller of a coal mining facility 

    Thought Leadership

    • “Delaware Supreme Court Clarifies Ab Initio Requirement Under MFW” Latham & Watkins Article (May 2019)
    • “Rural/Metro Case: Exploring Liability Against Financial Advisors” Latham & Watkins Article (January 2016)
    • “Handling Foreign Plantiffs' Requests For Access to US Discovery” Latham & Watkins Article (April 2015)
    • “Forum Selection Bylaws Gain Additional Support in California” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (December 2014)
    • “False Claims Act 101: The Ever Expanding Application of State and Federal FCAs” Latham & Watkins Article (December 2012)
    • “False Claims Act 101: The New Frontier” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (November 2012)
    • “Understanding Recent Changes to the SEC's ‘Neither Admit Nor Deny’ Settlement Policy” Latham & Watkins Article (May 2012)

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • New Jersey
    • New York

    Education

    • JD, Brooklyn Law School, 2008
      summa cum laude
    • BA, Rutgers University, 2005
      with highest honors

    Practices

    Industries

    Recognition

    News & Insights

    Courtroom
    March 7, 2024 In the News

    Latham Passes Skadden as Busiest Securities Defense Firm

    Despite a downward trend in securities case filings over the past three years, Latham & Watkins LLP has remained one of the most active law firms on the defense side, taking over the top spot from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, according to reports released by Lex Machina.