Blake, Patrick D.

Getting to know John Black:

I became a lawyer because...When I was a small child my mother asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told her that I wanted to be somebody that knew everything about something (even though at the time, I had no idea what the something was) and people would come and ask me all kinds of questions about what I knew. At the time my parents thought that my response was pretty funny. However, being an attorney allows me to fulfill that childhood wish. While I certainly do not know everything about employment law, I truly enjoy having an area of the law that I can immerse myself in and apply to lives of working people who need legal advice.

What I like most about the law is...that it is ever evolving and never stagnant. Each new case brings unique challenges and allows me to learn something I did not know before I started the case.

My most rewarding case was...was one that involved a garbage man. This man had complained about racial discrimination in his department. Rather than simply address the discrimination, his supervisor chastised our client and demoted him for voicing his complaints. Our client was a good person and someone who worked very hard at an unpleasant job. He was injured both emotionally and financially as a result of his employer's illegal actions. It was very rewarding to have a jury tell both the employer and our client, through an award of significant damages, that what the employer did to this man was wrong and this wrong could and would be righted.

Someone I really admire is...Roberto Clemente. He was a true role model both on and off the baseball field. I really admire that he died as he lived -- giving to others less fortunate.

My favorite quote is... just one of the many great quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr.: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

When not at work, I enjoy... spending time with my wife and children. I am also a huge sports fan and enjoy watching all types of sporting events. I particularly enjoy rooting for the Pittsburgh football team. visit superlawyers.com