He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1957, earning a degree in philosophy with honors, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

[1] In April 1958, during his first year of law school, Blakey married Elaine Menard, a graduate of St. Mary's College.

After Robert F. Kennedy became Attorney General, the department began a major effort to bring criminal prosecutions against organized crime members, corrupt political figures, and faithless union officials.

In addition, under the close supervision of McClellan, Blakey also drafted Title III on wiretapping of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968.

[9] In Fall 2007 Professor Blakey contacted New York Times reporter David Cay Johnston regarding allegations of fraud involving General Electric made by a former student, Adriana Koeck.

[11] Additionally, the article highlights the existence of previous whistleblowers who expressed fear for their safety and that of their families against violent retaliation in related tax matters regarding GE's Brazil operations.

[12] In October 2015, professor emeritus Blakey was issued an Informal Admonition, the lowest form of discipline possible, by the D.C. Office of Bar Counsel as a result of charges made against him for disclosing confidential documents of the General Electric company to Johnston.

[14] Whistleblower lawyers have drawn parallels between this case and that of Thomas Tamm, a former attorney for the Department of Justice who was charged with calling a reporter from a pay phone to publicize the federal government's program of illegal wiretapping.

[16] In his 2018 Notre Dame commencement address, Brazilian Judge Sérgio Moro accentuated the global resonance of Blakey's contributions, highlighting Blakey's influence in prosecuting organized crime and corruption, and shaping Moro's own efforts in leading Operation Car Wash in 2015.

[17] Blakey's influence on Brazilian anti-corruption efforts through his RICO legislation have resulted in the implication of former Presidents, cabinet officials, and dozens of members of congress.