Blake E. Whiteman
Blake E. Whiteman
Blake Whiteman’s practice focuses in business disputes; construction and commercial litigation, including breach of contract claims, reputation management, and commercial leases; as well as family law, white-collar and other criminal law matters.Blake’s business law practice involves representing small to medium sized businesses and health care professionals in Arizona in their various legal matters, including entity formation, partnership agreements, negotiation of commercial leases and contract disputes. He is also regularly called upon to defend professionals when facing patient complaints before the Board of Dental Examiners, Board of Medical Examiner or the Registrar of Contractors.
He has served as lead counsel in numerous jury and bench trials in complex commercial matters, real estate disputes and appellate court actions.
Through his family law and domestic relations law practice, Blake represents individuals involved in high asset divorce and community property cases. These cases may involve child custody issues, claims of wrong-doing, negligence, spousal relocation issues and Department of Child Services issues. In addition, he is sought by clients to assist in prenuptial agreements, sole and separate property agreements and various other domestic relations agreements in Arizona.
Formerly a Judge Pro Tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court, Blake is experienced in a wide range of trial court matters, including white-collar and other criminal law matters. His representation of clients in criminal matters in Arizona primarily involves high-profile cases and business clients facing felony or misdemeanor charges, accusations or indictments.
Blake is also a mediator and arbitrator, having acted as a court appointed arbitrator in numerous family law and civil cases. He has further acted as arbitrator in UM and UIM insurance disputes.
Blake has received an AV Peer Review Rating for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability from Martindale-Hubbell®.
Bar Admissions
Arizona
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
White Mountain Apache Tribal Court
Education
University of Nebraska College of Law, J.D. (1985)
Arizona State University, B.S. in Business Administration (1982)
Professional Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Arizona
- American Bar Association
- Maricopa County Bar Association
- State Board of Optometry
Published Works
- Author, “Arizona Human Embryo Ownership” (January 2020)
- Author, “Commercial Lease Agreements: Avoiding Surprises” (2015)
- Author, “I’m Being Investigated for a Felony – What Can Happen to Me?” (2015)
Honors & Awards
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Family Law (2024)
- AV Peer Review Rating for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability from Martindale- Hubbell®
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer for Family Law by Ranking Arizona Magazine (2015)
Classes & Seminars
- Effective Testimony for the Commercial Appraisers Conference (March 2015)
Representative Engagements
Representation of a departing member of an LLC in a dispute over buy-out and draws, due the departing member. Pre-litigation, our client was willing to settle for $120,000, but remaining members refused. A judgment was obtained against the LLC, its remaining members (entities) and the individuals and spouses who owned the entities, in favor of our client in the amount of $800,000 and included a court order to perform an accounting to determine further draw and additional amounts owed our client.
Representation of an Arizona dentist before the Board of Dental Examiners as a result of a complaint filed by a patient that their veneers did not turn out as represented by our client. Dental Board concluded that client advised patient to use a different shape veneer but patient refused. Board of Dental Examiners found for our client.
Representation of a business in litigation with former employees who took confidential business information and proprietary software. A monetary judgment against the departing employees and their newly formed company was obtained with an injunction requiring the newly formed company to purge their computers of all proprietary information and software.
Representation of an individual originally charged with four counts of attempted murder arising out of an alleged road rage incident that resulted in a motor vehicle accident. A vehicular crimes accident reconstructionist was hired to prepare a video recreation of the accident using the data obtained from the respective vehicle air bag modules. An agreement was reached with the state of Arizona to reduce the charges to misdemeanors with no time to be served in the Department of Corrections.
Representation of an owner of nearly forty fast food franchises and various real estate and other holdings in a dissolution of marriage action. Client’s spouse sought nearly $5M as a property settlement and $20,000 per month permanent spousal maintenance. The matter was resolved, saving the client approximately $3M in the property settlement and reducing the spousal maintenance obligation by 60-percent and limiting its period of time.
Representation of client in a post-divorce dispute over relocation of minor children. Ex-spouse had convinced client to spend a summer in Utah. Towards the end of summer, ex-spouse petitioned the court to permit her to relocate to Utah with the parties’ minor children. Client moved back to Arizona and we successfully obtained an order from court directing the ex-spouse to return the children to Arizona, awarding our client primary custody of the minor children.
