Professor Alan F. Blakley

Professor Alan F. Blakley of Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Grand Rapids, Michigan is an Associate Professor and teaches civil procedure and evidence. Prior to teaching full time, from his private practice in Missoula, Montana, he successfully represented consumers in class actions based on the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; a national class of students accepted into the Job Corps and then denied benefits so the government could chart their failure; and, plaintiffs in a variety of civil rights class actions. Professor Blakley consults on electronic risk management, electronic discovery and various intellectual property matters.

He is currently chair of the Protective Orders, Confidentiality and Public Access Working Group for The Sedona Conference, a legal think-tank centered in Sedona, Arizona. He is past chair of the Federal Litigation Section of the Federal Bar Association, and currently serves on the editorial board of The Federal Lawyer magazine. Prior to becoming Litigation Section chair, Professor Blakley was chair of its Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. Professor Blakley taught at the University of Montana School of Law and has produced a variety of continuing legal education programs on electronic information and other litigation topics. In addition to Civil Procedure, Professor Blakley has taught Contracts, Real Property, Evidence and an advanced trial practice course.

Professor Blakley has written extensively in the areas of electronic information and discovery. He is the author of The Handbook of Digital Litigation, published in late 2005 by American Lawyer Media. He is the co-editor of and major contributor to the book Electronic Discovery: The Challenges and Opportunities of Electronic Evidence. This book was created along with a DVD and continuing legal education providers’ guide (written by Mr. Blakley) in conjunction with the Federal Judicial Center. He has been part of presentations to groups of federal judges on topics in electronic discovery. Professor Blakley collected various experts to write chapters, edited and contributed to Electronic Information, Its Life Cycle, A Legal Perspective. He is co-author with John Hardin Young of Mastering Written Discovery, published by Matthew-Bender. His most recent work focuses on privacy and litigation in a digital world. The Rutgers Journal of Law and Public Policy has named him Guest Editor for its upcoming special issue on privacy in an urban society.

Professor Blakley is admitted to practice in the courts of the State of Montana and the United States District Courts for the Districts of Montana, Colorado and the Western District of Michigan, the United States Court of Federal Claims, United States Courts of Appeals for the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th & Federal Circuits, United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the United States Supreme Court.