Conway Blake is a partner and member of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group, based in London.
Dr. Blake represents corporate clients, sovereigns and international organisations on a range of contentious matters, particularly in investor-state arbitration, public international law disputes and commercial arbitrations governed by various substantive laws and conducted under the major arbitral rules. He is actively involved in the public international law and arbitration communities (including the YIAG, YPILG and YICCA), and has been recognised as a Future Leader in international arbitration by Who’s Who Legal (2024). Dr. Blake is recommended by Chambers UK (2024), where he has been described as “a star in the making” and “a brilliant mind.” He is also recommended by The Legal 500 UK (2024), where clients describe him as “a fantastic legal strategist” and “a great communicator.” He also receives praise for his “exceptional legal knowledge, attention to detail, and ability to think outside the box.” Sources have highlighted his “outstanding judgement and extraordinary dedication whether on high profile commercial work or on pro bono human rights work.”
His court work focuses on disputes raising complex issues of private international law, applications related to arbitral proceedings, and cases addressing issues of corporate social responsibility. He has acted on cases at all levels of the court system, including before the UK Supreme Court, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and the courts in Commonwealth jurisdictions. He appears as advocate in both court and arbitral proceedings.
Dr. Blake has an active pro bono practice, and has represented clients on matters before the European Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees, and an advisor on strategic litigation, for the Human Dignity Trust. He was awarded the Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Pro Bono Award for his work in this area.
He joined Debevoise in 2012 after completing his training in the London and Washington, D.C. offices of a leading international law firm. Prior to entering legal practice, he was a lecturer in public international law and served as a consultant on international law to several NGOs. He retains a keen interest in academia, and currently convenes the undergraduate seminar on international commercial arbitration at his alma mater.
He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a PhD in public international law, having received his LLM (First Class) from the same institution. During his post-graduate studies he served as a Hauser Global Visiting Researcher at the NYU Law School. He holds a LLB (First Class) from the University of the West Indies.
Dr. Blake is admitted as a Solicitor Advocate in England & Wales. He is also called to the bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.