[2] He is the son of G. Robert Blakey, a professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame Law School and authority on the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations.

He worked at the law firm of Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz, P.C., in Chicago from 1995 to 1996.

[8] He received a hearing before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary for September 9, 2014.

[10] On December 13, 2014 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed a motion to invoke cloture on the nomination.

On December 16, 2014, Reid withdrew his cloture motion, and the Senate proceeded to confirm Blakey in a voice vote.